US EditionThe US plans to build a $750M fly factory in Texas to stop a flesh-eating cattle parasite
The new facility will produce 300 million sterile flies weekly to protect Texas's $15 billion cattle industry from the invasive New World screwworm pest, officials said.
- On August 15, 2025, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced a $750 million sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas.
- The facility was established to address an invasive fly species that endangers livestock, following its spread from Central America into Mexico near the U.S. southern border.
- The new factory on Moore Air Base will produce up to 300 million sterile male flies weekly, complementing existing factories in Panama and Mexico producing over 200 million combined weekly.
- Rollins described the approach as a strategic step designed to keep them proactive rather than merely responding to threats, while Abbott cautioned that the screwworm infestation could lead to billions in annual losses and devastate Texas’s livestock sector.
- The project aims to prevent further spread, with U.S. ports remaining closed to livestock imports until the pest recedes, while $100 million more will fund advanced monitoring technologies and enhanced border security.
25 Articles
25 Articles
USDA to Build Texas Facility to Fight Flesh-Eating Screwworms
USDA to build Texas facility to fight flesh-eating screwworms
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will spend up to $750 million to build a facility in Texas that produces sterile flies to fight the flesh-eating livestock pest New World screwworm, Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Friday.
Texas Sheep & Goat Expo addresses screw worm issue
SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — During the days of August 15 and 16, the Texas Sheep and Goat Expo is taking place in San Angelo with a particular concern. The expo is addressing the key topic of the resurgence of the New World Screwworm, which can be a threat to the lives of sheep and goats, along with other types of cattle. "We have a New World Screwworm issue that has come forward here in the last six months or so," said Marty Gi…
Cattle prices bounce back to close higher
“Another volatile day for cattle and feeder markets and prices closed very strong on strong cutout prices and USDA’s mid-day press conference regarding New World Screwworm,” The Hightower Report said. “USDA will build a permanent sterile fly facility on the…
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