New Sterile Fly Facility Completed in Texas

Facility expands USDA's ability to disperse sterile flies along the border

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture has completed construction of a new sterile fly dispersal facility in Edinburg, Texas. The facility will allow the USDA to expand its efforts to release sterile flies along the border and into the U.S. if necessary to combat the spread of pests like screwworm.

Why it matters

The new facility is a key part of the USDA's domestic preparedness efforts to stop the spread of dangerous agricultural pests like screwworm. By increasing the capacity to release sterile flies, the USDA aims to better control the movement of these pests across the U.S. border.

The details

The sterile fly dispersal facility was a high-priority project for the USDA, which was able to complete construction in record time. The new facility will allow the department to expand its existing programs to release sterile flies along the border and into the U.S. to combat the spread of pests like screwworm.

  • The facility was announced as complete on February 11, 2026.

The players

Brooke Rollins

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture.

Greg Abbott

Governor of Texas.

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What they’re saying

“This sterile fly 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.”

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

“America is going to take care of itself, including dealing with the approach of screwworm to the southern border.”

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

What’s next

The USDA will continue to work with Mexico to mitigate the spread of screwworm and conduct increased trapping and surveillance along the border.

The takeaway

The new sterile fly dispersal facility in Texas is a key part of the USDA's efforts to strengthen domestic preparedness and control the spread of dangerous agricultural pests like screwworm across the U.S. border.