The U.S. Department of Agriculture and Texas officials have announced plans to invest $750 million in constructing a sterile fly production facility near the Mexico border to combat the New World screwworm parasite. The facility, located in Edinburg, Texas, will produce approximately 300 million sterile male flies per week.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and Governor Greg Abbott described the initiative as a “tactical move” to regain U.S. control over sterile fly production and reduce reliance on external facilities in Mexico and Panama. Rollins emphasized that mass releases of sterile flies are essential to prevent screwworms from devastating livestock populations.
The sterile fly strategy builds upon historic eradication methods, and the new Texas facility marks the first of its kind in decades on U.S. soil.
In addition to the construction, the USDA will allocate $100 million toward immediate technologies—such as advanced traps and border surveillance enhancements including “tick riders” and canine detection teams—to control screwworm spread during the facility’s build.
Officials stressed the urgency of the threat, noting the screwworm’s northward movement from Mexico and its potential to further raise already record-high beef prices and threaten U.S. agriculture.
