The U.S. government is investing $21 million to build a massive fly factory in Texas capable of producing 300 million flies weekly to combat a flesh-eating parasite threatening American cattle.
Key Takeaways
- A new fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Texas will breed sterile New World screwworm flies to prevent the flesh-eating parasite from infesting U.S. cattle.
- The U.S. has already suspended imports of live cattle, horses, and bison from Mexico after detecting the parasite as close as 700 miles from the border.
- This biological defense strategy uses sterile male flies to mate with females, preventing them from reproducing and spreading the destructive parasite.
- The USDA’s $21 million investment will create the second such facility in the Western Hemisphere, with production capacity of up to 300 million flies per week.
- The screwworm fly poses a serious threat to all mammals, including livestock, wildlife, pets, and occasionally humans.
Reviving a Proven Defense Strategy Against a Devastating Parasite
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is establishing a fly production facility in Texas as part of an aggressive defense strategy against the New World screwworm (NWS), a flesh-eating parasite that poses a severe threat to American cattle. This initiative revives a successful control method from the 1960s when the U.S. originally eradicated the pest from its territory. The facility, to be located at Moore Air Base near the Mexican border, will focus on breeding sterile male flies that mate with females in the wild, preventing reproduction and creating a biological barrier against the parasite’s spread into U.S. territory.
“The United States has defeated NWS before, and we will do it again,” said Brooke Rollins, Agriculture Secretary.
Imminent Threat Prompts Swift Action
The USDA’s decision comes after detecting the dangerous parasite in southern Mexico, approximately 700 miles from the U.S. border. This proximity triggered the suspension of live cattle, horse, and bison imports from Mexico as a precautionary measure. The flesh-eating screwworm poses a substantial risk to livestock, wildlife, pets, and occasionally humans. When female flies lay eggs in open wounds or natural body openings of mammals, the resulting larvae feed on living flesh, causing severe damage and potentially death if left untreated.
The rapid response demonstrates the administration’s commitment to protecting American agriculture, with the $21 million facility expected to be operational within 18 months. This new facility will complement the existing operation in Panama, creating a more robust defense network. When fully operational, the Texas facility could produce up to 300 million sterile flies weekly, creating an overwhelming biological defense mechanism against the parasite’s advance.
Cross-Border Cooperation Enhances Protection
The U.S. initiative has received support from Mexican officials, who recognize the mutual benefits of controlling the parasite. The USDA also plans to convert a fruit fly breeding facility in southern Mexico into another screwworm fly production center, strengthening the multinational response to this agricultural threat. This cooperation represents a practical approach to addressing a shared biological challenge that transcends political boundaries.
“This seems to us a positive step in different aspects, it will strengthen the joint Mexico-US work,” said Julio Berdegué, Mexican Agriculture Secretary.
Mexican officials hope the collaborative effort will lead to the resumption of cattle exports to the United States, demonstrating how practical agricultural cooperation can benefit both nations’ economies. The suspension of imports has already impacted the Mexican livestock industry, adding economic urgency to controlling the parasite’s spread.
Cattle Industry Underscores Critical Nature of Threat
Industry representatives have emphasized the importance of this proactive approach for protecting American ranchers and farmers from potentially devastating economic losses. The screwworm’s ability to infest any mammal makes it particularly dangerous, as it could spread through wildlife populations crossing the border, creating multiple infection vectors that would be difficult to control once established. State officials in Texas and neighboring states are closely monitoring the situation.
“The only way to protect the American cattle herd from the devastating threat of New World screwworm is by having a sufficient supply of sterile flies to push this pest away from our border,” said Buck Wehrbein, chair of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association’s Animal Health and Well-being Committee.
The Texas facility represents not just an investment in agricultural security but also a commitment to preserving America’s food supply chain through innovative biological control methods. By reviving and enhancing a proven strategy from decades past, the administration is taking decisive action to protect American agriculture from a threat that could otherwise cause billions in damages to the cattle industry and beyond.
