The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investing up to $750 million to build the nation’s only sterile New World screwworm (NWS) fly production facility located in Edinburg, Texas.Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the project is critical as NWS cases have been detected within 370 miles of the US border.
Once complete, the Texas facility will produce 300 million sterile flies weekly—nearly triple the output of the only existing facility in Panama, which is already at capacity. USDA is also funding renovations at a Mexican plant to add another 60–100 million sterile flies per week. The strategy: release sterile male flies that mate with wild females, gradually shrinking NWS populations and stopping their spread north.
Texas has taken a leading role. A new dispersal facility for sterile flies is nearing completion at Moore Air Base, and the state recently reintroduced Swormlure Bait to attract and kill adult screwworm flies. Governor Greg Abbott also formed a joint NWS response team with the Texas Animal Health Commission and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. EWA is pleased to have been invited to be a part of the NWS Response Team.
Beyond sterile fly production, USDA is:
- Training detector dogs to identify infestations at the border.
- Expanding mounted patrol “Tick Riders” for livestock surveillance.
- Investing $100 million in new tools, including advanced traps, lures, therapeutics, and sterilization methods.
- Working with FDA, EPA, DOE, and Customs and Border Protection to fast-track treatments, develop technologies, and strengthen border protections.
Additional details regarding this announcement can be found at:
USDA’s Five Pronged Plan for stopping the spread of has been amended and now includes a reference to sterile male fly production in the US as well as a much needed reference to “wildlife” and wildlife migration.
The recent announcements by Secretary Rollins and Governor Abbot and positive steps forward in the fight against NWS. EWA will continue to be involved in the ongoing discussions and will continue to share any information on new developments, challenges and successes.
Please feel free to call us with any questions. Thank you for being a member of EWA. We appreciate your support.