USDA Shuts Down Cyclospora Research Projects Amid Major Outbreak

The Trump administration is closing two of three USDA cyclospora research projects after Congress defunded them in the fiscal year 2026 Agriculture Appropriations Act. The closures come as the CDC recorded more than 17,000 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases across 48 states and Washington, DC, between May 1 and August 24 — one of the largest foodborne illness outbreaks in recent US history. A USDA spokesperson said no research has been disrupted, but all cyclospora scientists declined relocation to Iowa, and lab work halted in summer 2026 with no plans to move specialized equipment or frozen pathogen stores.