🪰 U.S. to Spend $750M on Fly Factory to Fight Flesh-Eating Parasite
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will spend up to $750 million to build a new sterile-fly production plant in Edinburg, Texas. The goal is to stop the flesh-eating New World screwworm from spreading back into the U.S. The announcement was made in Austin by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
🏭 What the Plant Will Do
The new facility will produce 300 million sterile screwworm flies every week—three times more than the current global supply. These flies don’t reproduce, so releasing them helps wipe out the dangerous parasite. The plant will be built next to an existing fly-release site at Moore Air Base and will take 2 to 3 years to complete.
🪤 Extra Measures
The USDA is also spending $100 million on traps and hiring mounted officers to patrol the border and check for infected animals.
🌎 Why It’s Urgent
Experts say 500 million sterile flies need to be released weekly to push the parasite back toward Panama. Right now, the only plant in Panama makes about 100 million flies per week. Meanwhile, Mexico is seeing more cases—Yucatán has reported 212 infections, and ranchers in central Mexico are finding maggot-infested cattle for the first time in decades.
🚫 Import Ban
To stop the spread, the U.S. banned imports of Mexican cattle, horses, and bison in July.
💸 Big Risks
The screwworm was wiped out in the U.S. in 1966, but it came back in the 1970s, infecting thousands of animals and costing millions to control. If it crosses the Rio Grande again, it could cause up to $1.8 billion in damage to Texas and push beef prices even higher.
🇺🇸 Support from Lawmakers
Leaders from cattle-producing states say the new plant is critical for food security. While it won’t be ready right away, officials say it’s important to act now to stay ahead of the parasite and protect both livestock and wildlife in the southern U.S.