Agriculture Sec. Rollins on cyclosporiasis: ‘It’s an FDA issue, not a USDA issue’

Administration Agriculture Sec. Rollins on cyclosporiasis: ‘It’s an FDA issue, not a USDA issue’ Comments: by Ashleigh Fields - 07/15/26 11:48 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Ashleigh Fields - 07/15/26 11:48 AM ET Comments: Link copied

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Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins at the second annual Hill Nation Summit on Wednesday said cyclosporiasis, a a gastrointestinal illness that can lead to explosive diarrhea, is an issue for the FDA to deal with, and not her agency.

She also urged people to make sure they are washing their leafy greens and vegetables before using to prevent themselves from getting sick.

“It is an FDA [Food and Drug Administration] issue, not USDA,” Rollins told NewsNation’s Katie Pavlich during a wide-ranging discussion on agriculture issues.

“But just from a food supply issue, washing your fruit and vegetables, being diligent in where you are” is the best way to stay safe, the secretary said.

She later added “our food supply we’re getting is the best in the world.”

Cyclosporiasis is now hitting more than half of U.S. states, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevent investigating hundreds of cases. It’s just the latest outbreak the Trump administration has had to deal with in its first 18 months in office.

The New World Screwworm outbreak, which primarily affects warm-blooded livestock like cattle, hit in June while Rollins continues to work to manage the ongoing Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak, which has spread across wild birds, commercial poultry and dairy cattle.

Raspberries, basil, cilantro, green onions, snow peas, lettuce, mesclun and salad mixes are the foods most likely to be contaminated and lead to the cyclosporiasis parasitic illness that can cause sometimes explosive diarrhea.

As of Wednesday, there have been 1,645 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis across 34 states, marking a sharp increase in the 249 cases reported this time last year.

More than 1,500 of those cases have been in Michigan. A total of 44 people have been hospitalized due to the contamination.

“Multiple jurisdictions have reported an increase of cases in the last two weeks compared to the same period in 2025,” the Center for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement.

“We assume a 6-week reporting lag between illness onset and case reporting to CDC; therefore, we anticipate that case counts will continue to rise as data are received,” the statement continued.

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