USDA, Texas Announce $750M Sterile Fly Facility to Fight New World Screwworm

New domestic production hub in Edinburg will expand border dispersal and prevent deadly pest from entering the U.S.

Published on Feb. 10, 2026

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the state of Texas have announced the construction of a new $750 million sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas. The facility will significantly expand the USDA's ability to disperse sterile flies along the U.S.-Mexico border to combat the threat of the New World screwworm, a deadly pest that officials are working aggressively to keep out of the country.

Why it matters

The New World screwworm is a major threat to the U.S. livestock industry, particularly the cattle industry in Texas, which is the nation's top cattle producer. This new domestic sterile fly facility will bolster the country's preparedness and response capabilities to prevent the screwworm from entering the U.S. and causing potentially devastating economic and agricultural impacts.

The details

The new sterile fly facility in Edinburg will have a maximum capacity of 300 million sterile flies per week, complementing existing and planned production in Panama and Mexico. Once fully operational, the international network of facilities will be able to produce up to 500 million sterile flies per week to combat the New World screwworm. The USDA is also investing $21 million to support Mexico's renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa, which is expected to double the country's screwworm production capacity by summer 2026.

  • The USDA announced a shift in its 100 million sterile flies per week dispersal effort to reinforce coverage along the U.S.-Mexico border on January 30, 2026.
  • Groundbreaking on the new Edinburg facility is expected within the next few months.
  • Mexico anticipates its expanded sterile fly production in Metapa will be online during the summer of 2026.

The players

Brooke Rollins

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Greg Abbott

Governor of Texas.

USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is leading the effort to combat the New World screwworm.

COPEG

The facility in Panama that currently produces sterile flies for USDA dispersal efforts.

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

The USDA agency that is providing assistance to Mexico for its sterile fly production facility in Metapa.

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What they’re saying

“This sterile fly dispersal facility was a high-priority project, and our team delivered it in record time. This new facility is a monumental achievement for our domestic preparedness efforts, but we are also diligently working to stop the spread of screwworm in Mexico, conduct extensive trapping and surveillance along the border, increase U.S. response capacity and encourage innovative solutions. We will never stop fighting to protect American agriculture.”

— Brooke Rollins, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (mrt.com)

“If you listen to what Secretary Rollins talked about, it was a reemphasis of what President Trump has been clear about all along: America is no longer going to count on other countries coming to our rescue. Instead, America is going to take care of itself, including dealing with the approach of the screwworm as it gets closer to our border.”

— Greg Abbott, Governor of Texas (mrt.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This new sterile fly facility in Texas represents a significant step in the U.S. government's comprehensive strategy to prevent the devastating New World screwworm from entering the country and threatening the nation's livestock industry, particularly the vital cattle sector in Texas.