The Trump administration is reportedly closing two of three US Department of Agriculture (USDA) research projects focused on cyclospora, a foodborne parasite. Politico reported on Sunday that these two projects were defunded by Congress earlier in the year.
A third project is scheduled to move from Maryland to Iowa in the coming months as part of a wider USDA reorganisation. However, all scientists working on the parasite have reportedly declined to relocate to Iowa, according to Politico.
A USDA spokesperson stated that "None of the research has been disrupted, and research will continue without disruption," attributing the funding cuts to Congress. The spokesperson added that the Agricultural Research Service is working to ensure an orderly transition of programs.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recorded over 17,000 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases across 48 US states and Washington DC between May 1 and August 24. This makes it one of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in recent US history, with at least 11,844 additional cases potentially requiring further investigation.