|
(Edinburg, TX, April 17, 2026) — Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and Lieutenant General William H. “Butch” Graham, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) commanding general, led the groundbreaking for the new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas. USDA is partnering with USACE to construct this facility, which is a cornerstone of Secretary Rollins’ five-pronged strategy (PDF, 1005 KB) to combat New World Screwworm (NWS), expanding the nation’s domestic capacity to protect livestock, wildlife, and public health from this serious pest.
“Breaking ground on this facility marks a major investment in safeguarding America’s livestock and the producers who feed this nation. This puts NWS sterile fly production in American hands, so we do not have to rely on other countries for the best offensive measure to push screwworm away from our borders,” said Secretary Rollins. “The New World Screwworm threatens the health of our herds, the stability of rural economies, and the resilience of our supply chain. President Trump and his entire cabinet is committed to leveraging every resource necessary to contain this pest, protect American agriculture, and ensure the long-term security of our food supply chain.”
“Thank you to President Trump and Secretary Rollins for your leadership in helping mitigate the spread of the dangerous New World screwworm,” said Senator Cornyn. “I am glad to be in the Rio Grande Valley today for the groundbreaking of the sterile fly production facility, which will combat this parasite from spreading throughout the Lone Star State. Texas ranks first in the nation in cattle production, and I will keep working with Secretary Rollins to ensure Texas ranchers and farmers are supported and protected from this pest.”
“Today’s groundbreaking is a historic moment for South Texas, and I am thrilled to see this $750 million investment officially begin to take shape for our farmers and ranchers,” said Representative De La Cruz. “I am incredibly proud to have helped secure this facility and appreciate Secretary Rollins’ commitment to protecting Texas agriculture from the threat of the New World Screwworm. Together, we are taking a vital step to protect our cattle industry and keep our local agricultural community thriving.”
“Our mission at USACE is to deliver engineering solutions, with our partners, to secure our Nation, strengthen our economy, and reduce disaster risk,” said LTG Graham. “That’s why we’re proud to deliver an engineering solution to the New World Screwworm, which represents a direct threat to our nation’s livestock, our food security, and our economy. This new, modern facility is the critical infrastructure we need to secure a defensive line against the New World Screwworm for generations to come.”
“The work here today would not be possible without the hardworking Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) employees here at USDA. Our partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers is essential, and we are deeply grateful for their unwavering commitment,” said Under Secretary Hoskins. “Together, we are building a modern, resilient capability right here at home—one designed to safeguard U.S. agriculture by countering this threat with speed, scale, and scientific precision.”
USACE is providing engineering, design, construction management, and contract oversight for the project, ensuring the facility meets the highest standards for biosecurity, reliability, and long‑term operational readiness.
The new facility is being built with an aggressive timeline designed to quickly expand the nation’s sterile fly production capacity:
- Initial operational capability targeted for November 2027, reaching production of 100 million sterile flies per week.
- Construction continues immediately beyond initial operations to scale full production capacity to 300 million sterile flies per week.
- USDA and USACE have slashed red tape, securing expedited procurement, and eliminating other barriers.
- Together, USDA and USACE will oversee installation, and commissioning of specialized systems that will make this facility operable on time, delivering the critical sterile flies we need to continue to defeat this pest.
This aggressive schedule reflects USDA’s commitment to protecting America’s producers. A sterile fly production facility plays a crucial role in NWS prevention and response. In a biosecure environment, NWS flies are raised and sterilized using irradiation before being released in targeted areas. Because female screwworm flies mate only once, mating with sterile males results in eggs that do not hatch. Sterile insect technique, paired with surveillance, animal movement restrictions, and education and outreach, has been the foundation of successful screwworm eradication efforts for decades; USDA has defeated this pest before and using these proven methods, USDA will do so again.
This new state-of-the-art facility will complement USDA’s ongoing production of 100 million sterile flies per week at the Panama-based COPEG facility. USDA has also invested $21 million to support modernization of Mexico’s Metapa, MX facility, expected to be operational in summer 2026.
Once fully operational, this expanded production network will provide the speed, scale, and domestic capability needed to rapidly counter any NWS threat—reducing risks to producers, protecting animal health, and strengthening the resilience of America’s livestock industry.
For more information about New World Screwworm and USDA’s prevention efforts, visit Screwworm.gov.
|
