The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced its most aggressive effort yet to prevent the spread of the New World Screwworm (NWS), a destructive parasite threatening livestock along the U.S.-Mexico border. Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins outlined the plan in Austin, Texas, alongside Governor Greg Abbott, as part of USDA’s five-part strategy to safeguard American agriculture.
At the center of the initiative is a new sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas. Built with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, it will produce up to 300 million sterile flies weekly, working in tandem with facilities in Panama and Mexico. The sterile insect technique has proven to be the most effective way to suppress screwworm populations, and the U.S. facility reduces reliance on foreign production.
The screwworm, eradicated from the U.S. decades ago, kills animals by burrowing into their flesh. It affects livestock, pets, wildlife, and occasionally people, with USDA estimating over $100 billion at risk if the parasite spreads into U.S. herds. Recent detections in Mexico, some within 400 miles of Texas, have raised alarms.
USDA is coordinating with multiple agencies: FDA is prioritizing treatments, EPA and the Department of Energy are developing new technologies, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection will expand border surveillance with “Tick Riders” on horseback and detector dogs. Internationally, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is working with Mexican authorities to improve surveillance, reporting, and livestock controls.
To strengthen long-term defenses, USDA will invest up to $100 million in research, including improved fly production methods, new traps and lures, and stockpiled treatments.
The plan has earned broad support from ranchers, farm organizations, and lawmakers who see it as a decisive step to protect livestock and food security. Governor Abbott underscored Texas’s $867 billion agriculture economy, warning that “all of this is at risk because of the New World screwworm.”
While no U.S. cases have been reported, officials stress readiness. “We must take all necessary steps to protect our country from foreign pests and diseases that threaten our economy and way of life,” Rollins said.
