USDA Advances Screwworm Response with Texas Sterile Fly Facility

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers have announced a construction contract to build a new sterile fly production facility in Texas to strengthen preparedness against the New World Screwworm.

The facility will be built at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas under a contract with Mortenson Construction. According to USDA, the project is part of a broader strategy to expand domestic response capacity and help protect U.S. livestock, wildlife and public health.

The Army Corps of Engineers will oversee the design, engineering and construction of the facility.

“The Army Corps of Engineers is an essential partner in bringing this facility to life and further highlights the Trump Administration’s government-wide effort to fight the New World Screwworm threat in Mexico,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “The Army Corps is the best in the business and their engineering expertise and proven track record in delivering complex projects will help ensure we can build a modern, resilient facility that protects American agriculture from invasive pests for decades to come. This first-of-its-kind facility on U.S. soil will ensure we are not reliant on other countries for sterile flies.”

“For more than 250 years, USACE has helped secure America by engineering solutions to our nation’s toughest challenges. We are proud to be partnering with USDA in the construction of the Sterile Fly Facility, a critical investment in our nation’s future agricultural, public and economic health. Combining our engineering expertise with USDA’s mission expertise brings us one step closer to alleviating this biological threat,” said Lt. Gen. William H. Graham.

Why This Matters for Farmers

The New World Screwworm is a parasitic fly whose larvae feed on warm-blooded animals. If not controlled, infestations can cause severe animal health issues and economic losses in livestock operations.

The United States eliminated the pest in 1966 and has maintained that status through sterile fly programs and international cooperation.

How the Sterile Fly Program Works

A sterile fly production facility raises New World Screwworm flies in a biosecure environment. The flies are sterilized using irradiation and then released into affected areas.

Because female screwworm flies mate only once in their lifetime, mating with a sterile male results in eggs that do not hatch. This method, known as the Sterile Insect Technique, has been used for decades and is widely recognized as an effective and environmentally responsible insect control strategy.

USDA notes that the technique is most effective when paired with:

• surveillance programs
• animal movement restrictions
• education and outreach

Current and Future Production

USDA currently produces about 100 million sterile flies per week at the COPEG facility in Panama. These flies are dispersed within and near affected areas in Mexico.

Additional efforts are underway to expand production:

• USDA invested $21 million to support renovation of a fruit fly facility in Metapa, Mexico.
• That facility is expected to begin sterile fly production in summer 2026.
• The new Texas facility will be the only U.S.-based sterile fly production site.

USDA expects to break ground on the Texas facility later this spring. By November 2027, the Moore Air Base facility is projected to reach an initial goal of 100 million sterile flies per week, with long-term plans to expand production to 300 million flies per week.

Long-Term Protection for U.S. Livestock

Officials say the Texas facility will work alongside operations in Panama and Mexico to help control and eradicate the New World Screwworm while protecting American agriculture.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will provide engineering oversight for the project, drawing on its experience managing large infrastructure and federal construction efforts.