The U.S. government is taking big steps to stop flesh-eating maggots from crossing into the country and harming the cattle industry. A new $750 million factory will be built in southern Texas, near the town of Edinburg, to breed billions of sterile flies. These flies will be released into the wild to reduce the population of the harmful New World screwworm fly that has been troubling Mexico and threatens American livestock.
Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins shared the plan on Friday. The factory, located on Moore Air Base about 20 miles from the Mexican border, aims to start releasing sterile male flies within a year. These flies mate with wild females, but produce eggs that do not hatch, which helps shrink the pest population over time. Besides this major project, the USDA will spend $100 million on new tools like fly traps and lures. They will also increase patrols on the border with horseback “tick riders” and train dogs to detect the parasite.
This effort is urgent because if the screwworm fly reaches Texas, it could cause huge damage. Its maggots eat into the flesh of cattle and other animals, risking billions in losses. It could also drive beef prices even higher, which are already at record levels, making life tougher for families. The parasite does not only target cattle; it can also infect pets, wildlife, and sometimes even people.
The problem isn’t new. The screwworm was once a big issue in the U.S. until the 1970s when a similar sterile fly program nearly wiped it out. After that, fly factories inside the U.S. were closed. The flies have since been controlled in Panama and Mexico with the same method. Now the U.S. wants to bring that control back home and reduce dependence on factories in other countries.
To make sure the parasite stays south of the border, the U.S. has kept its border closed to cattle, horses, and bison from Mexico. That border has been shut three times in the past eight months, most recently in July after an infestation was found hundreds of miles from Texas. Mexico’s government is also helping, signing a joint plan with the U.S. to monitor the pest and tighten rules on moving livestock within Mexico.
Rollins said this is about protecting farms and security. “It’s the states along the border that face this every day,” she said alongside Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The new Texas factory will be the first of its kind in decades on American soil and is expected to produce up to 300 million sterile flies every week, far more than the factories in Panama and Mexico.
This project is part of a broader effort to be more prepared instead of just reacting to infestations. It shows a stronger commitment to keeping the parasite out and protecting the nation’s livestock and economy. The fight against the screwworm fly is stepping up – right on the border where it matters most.