Current Status on New World Screwworm

This week the USDA’s official NWS X account, New World Screwworm Rapid Response, made a post describing the progress in eradicating NWS.

The post includes several bullet points detailing strategies being taken to combat NWS.

The post reads, “

• Zero NWS caught in any of 8,000 traps along the border, confirming no widespread infestation

• Awarded $105 million to 40 recipients for NWS research and innovation under the NWS Grand Challenge

• Panama approved field trials for NovoFly™?, which will effectively double sterile fly production output by producing 100% sterile male NWS flies

• Millions of sterile flies continue to be strategically dispersed in key areas

• The Texas dispersal facility, which opened early 2026, is operational and already proving to be a game changer

• In May 2025, USDA provided Mexico funding and support to construct and operationalize the Metapa production facility, which is on schedule to be completed by the end of this month with full production capacity of 100M sterile flies by the end of the year.

Audio Reporting by Elizabeth Sanders for Southeast AgNet.