Political Quotes

“I would like to talk about a topic that may seem irrelevant to the average person at first glance, but it actually affects all of us a great deal more than we might imagine. A tiny but vicious parasite known as the New World screwworm is infecting cattle across Mexico, and it is getting closer and closer to the United States by the minute. Of course, many know that Texas ranks first in the Nation for cattle production. We proudly represent nearly 15 percent of total cattle production in the United States, generating more than $11 billion in cash receipts, so the Texas cattle industry is obviously very concerned about the spread of the New World screwworm. This parasite lays its eggs in the wounds of warmblooded animals, particularly livestock. The larvae burrows into the openings creating infections that, left untreated, can cause animals to die within 1 week. We do not have vaccinations, unfortunately, to prevent screwworm infections. So outbreaks in cattle herds require labor-intensive daily inspections of livestock to make sure they have not been infested. Now, some may be wondering: That sounds pretty horrific, but what does it have to do with me? Well, the truth is, this little pest, this vicious pest, touches all of our lives one way or the other. If the New World screwworm spreads to Texas infecting cattle and killing livestock, the already high price of beef will continue to increase.”