New Facility in Texas to Stop Screwworm Threat

Jun 19, 2025
By Farms.com

USDA Sets Bold Plan to Block Screwworm Pest at Border

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has unveiled an $8.5 million sterile fly dispersal facility in South Texas and a five-pronged plan to tackle the New World screwworm (NWS), a dangerous pest threatening livestock, wildlife, and pets.

The screwworm, previously eradicated from the U.S., has been detected in Mexico, raising concerns. To combat this, the USDA is collaborating with Mexico on surveillance and fly production, including a newly renovated facility in Metapa that will boost output to 160 million sterile flies per week.

The USDA also aims to strengthen the border by increasing surveillance and public awareness, supported by cattle fever tick riders and border patrol to intercept animals potentially carrying NWS.

Emergency preparedness is another focus. The USDA will work with states to update response plans, provide NWS treatments, and remove regulatory barriers that could slow urgent action.

In Texas, a new dispersal facility at Moore Air Base will distribute sterile flies to Northern Mexico. The USDA is also considering expanding domestic fly production to 300 million per week.

Innovative research and partnerships with universities will help develop better trapping methods, treatments, and advanced technologies to eliminate the pest effectively.

“Today’s policy changes represent a huge step forward to eradicating the screwworm and protecting American livestock—especially the opening of a U.S.-based eradication facility in South Texas,” said Representative Tony Gonzales.

The USDA plans to host listening sessions with stakeholders to gather ideas and refine the plan. With strong national and international collaboration, the USDA remains determined to prevent a new screwworm outbreak in the U.S.

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.