Aug 30 (Reuters) – The Trump administration is shuttering two of the three U.S. Department of Agriculture research projects studying cyclospora, a foodborne parasite that has sickened thousands of Americans this summer, Politico reported on Sunday.
The two projects were defunded by Congress earlier this year, while the third is due to be moved from Maryland to Iowa this fall as part of a broader USDA reorganization, according to the report.
Although the third project remains funded, all scientists working on the parasite have declined to relocate to Iowa, Politico reported, citing people familiar with the plans and internal documents.
Reuters could not immediately verify the report. The White House and the USDA could not immediately be reached for comment.
A USDA spokesperson told Politico that “none of the research has been disrupted, and research will continue without disruption,” and blamed Congress for the funding cuts.
“Congress did not appropriate funding for the two BARC research projects referenced in the FY2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act,” the spokesperson told Politico, adding that the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service is working with research leaders to ensure an orderly transition of programs.
Scientists researching foodborne parasites, including cyclospora, are retiring or leaving the USDA’s ARS rather than relocating or being reassigned to other projects, the report added.
Reuters reported earlier this week that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recorded more than 17,000 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases across 48 states plus the District of Columbia, making it one of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in recent U.S. history.
At least 11,844 additional cases may require further investigation and analysis, the CDC added.
(Reporting by Bipasha Dey in Bengaluru; Editing by Alexandra Hudson and Jan Harvey)
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