USDA shelves cyclospora research amid relocations and fund cuts

The Trump administration is closing two of three USDA research projects on cyclospora, a foodborne parasite that has sickened tens of thousands this summer, after Congress defunded them; a third project is being relocated from Maryland to Iowa. This reduces federal capacity to track and respond to cyclospora outbreaks, potentially worsening public health outcomes. The move is part of a broader USDA reorganization, but the timing during an active outbreak raises concerns.