USDA Opens Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility in Edinburg, Texas to Combat New World Screwworm
Courtesy of USDA/APHIS
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), led by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and joined by Texas Governor Greg Abbott, has announced the completion of a domestic sterile fly dispersal facility in Edinburg, Texas. The new facility marks a significant step in the federal government’s ongoing fight against the New World Screwworm, a destructive pest that threatens American agriculture, livestock protection, and agricultural biosecurity across the United States.
According to the department, “This facility expands USDA’s ability to disperse sterile flies along the border and into the United States, if necessary.” The sterile insect technique, a proven method of screwworm eradication, works by releasing sterilized male flies to prevent reproduction and ultimately eliminate the pest population. The Edinburg Texas facility strengthens USDA border surveillance and rapid response capabilities along the US-Mexico border.
Secretary Rollins emphasized the urgency of combating New World Screwworm and protecting Texas agriculture and ranchers nationwide. She said, “The Trump Administration continues to bring the full force of the federal government to fight New World Screwworm. 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. USDA, through a whole-of-government approach, will continue to hold Mexico accountable to mitigating the spread of this dangerous pest.”
The sterile fly dispersal facility in Edinburg is part of a broader five-pronged screwworm eradication strategy announced by USDA in June 2025. That plan included both the dispersal site and a domestic sterile fly production facility at the same location, reinforcing U.S. agricultural biosecurity infrastructure.
Last month, USDA announced it would shift sterile fly dispersal efforts closer to the US-Mexico border, including portions of Texas. The updated dispersal area will be supplied by sterile flies produced at the Tampico Mexico sterile fly facility, ensuring coordinated cross-border mitigation.
The completion of the Edinburg Texas sterile fly dispersal facility highlights USDA’s commitment to safeguarding livestock protection, defending Texas agriculture, and preventing the spread of New World Screwworm in the United States.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.