The Trump administration today launched an aggressive, multi-pronged strategy to combat the potential spread of New World screwworm (NWS) into the United States, a parasitic larvae that poses a significant threat to American livestock and the nation’s food supply.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins inaugurated an $8.5 million sterile NWS fly dispersal facility in South Texas and outlined a comprehensive five-pronged plan designed to enhance the USDA’s ability to detect, control, and eliminate the devastating pest.
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NWS, a parasite that feasts on the live flesh of animals and, in rare cases, humans, has been eradicated from the U.S. for decades. However, recent detections in Mexico, as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz – approximately 700 miles from the U.S. border – prompted the immediate suspension of live cattle, horse, and bison imports through U.S. southern border ports of entry on May 11, 2025.
“The United States has defeated NWS before, and we will do it again,” declared Secretary Rollins at the groundbreaking ceremony at Moore Air Base. “We do not take lightly the threat NWS poses to our livestock industry, our economy, and our food supply chain. The United States government will use all resources at its disposal to push back NWS, and today’s announcement of a domestic strategy to bolster our border defenses is just the beginning.”
Following the facility groundbreaking, Secretary Rollins was scheduled to meet with APHIS cattle fever tick riders along the Rio Grande River, highlighting their crucial role in preventing the spread of wild diseases and their potential involvement in combating NWS should it advance northward.
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The USDA’s five-pronged plan emphasizes proactive measures both within the U.S. and in collaboration with Mexico:
1. Stopping the Spread in Mexico and Ensuring Full Partnership in Eradication: The USDA has invested $21 million to renovate a fruit fly production facility in Metapa, Mexico, aiming to increase sterile fly production by an additional 60-100 million flies per week, augmenting the 100 million already produced in Panama. This will result in a total of at least 160 million sterile flies per week. The USDA has also conducted an audit of Mexico’s animal health controls and will maintain close monitoring and provide support for improved surveillance and detection, including traps, lures, and technical expertise.
2. Protecting the U.S. Border at All Costs: The plan includes supporting Mexico’s strategic trapping along the shared border, ensuring regular reporting for early warning, and escalating communications and public outreach along the U.S.-Mexico border to create a “barrier zone of vigilance.” APHIS cattle fever tick riders, in collaboration with U.S. Customs & Border Protection and state partners, will intercept and treat stray and illegally introduced livestock.
3. Maximizing Readiness: The USDA will partner with state animal health officials to update emergency management plans, support federal, state, and local responders in training, and ensure sufficient NWS treatments are available by removing any federal regulatory hurdles for their use.
4. Taking the Fight to the Screwworm: The newly announced dispersal facility at Moore Air Base, set for completion in 2025, will be capable of dispersing sterile flies in Northern Mexico. The USDA is also exploring options for a domestic sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base, which could boost production by up to 300 million flies per week, complementing existing production in Panama and Mexico.
5. Innovating Our Way to Eradication: The USDA is pursuing innovative research to improve sterile insect technology, develop better traps and lures, explore next-generation NWS treatments, and assess new technologies like e-beam and other radiation for sterile fly production. Stronger partnerships with land-grant universities in border states like Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico will facilitate local training, trap deployment, surveillance validation, and stakeholder outreach. The USDA will also hold four public listening sessions to gather stakeholder input on various aspects of the eradication efforts.
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The initiative has garnered strong support from state and federal officials. Texas Governor Greg Abbott lauded the proactive measures, stating, “Proactive measures like this dispersal facility are a critical step to ensure our state and nation are prepared to respond swiftly and effectively to this challenge.” Representatives Monica De La Cruz, Tony Gonzales, Vicente Gonzalez, and Ronny Jackson, along with Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller and Senator John Cornyn, all emphasized the critical nature of the threat and their commitment to the eradication efforts.
National Cattlemen’s Beef Association President Buck Wehrbein underscored the importance of a domestic sterile fly production facility, a goal long championed by the NCBA and its state affiliates. Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening and Texas Cattle Feeders Association Chairman-elect Laphe LaRoe also commended the USDA’s commitment to protecting the livestock industry.
Stephen Diebel, First Vice President of the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, highlighted the pivotal role of sterile flies in stopping NWS reproduction, expressing assurance in Secretary Rollins’ commitment to increasing domestic sterile fly production.
The Trump administration’s comprehensive plan signals a robust and urgent response to the potential New World screwworm threat, aiming to protect American agriculture, the economy, and the nation’s food supply.
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