USDA Expands Efforts to Eradicate Screwworm Threat
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins provided an update on the USDA’s continued collaboration with Mexico to combat the New World Screwworm (NWS), a serious threat to livestock.
In a call with Mexican Secretary Berdegue, Secretary Rollins discussed joint efforts to contain the pest south of the U.S. border and emphasized the importance of coordinated action.
USDA is working closely with Mexico to ensure the right tools and strategies are in place to eliminate NWS. As part of this effort, Secretary Rollins announced a $21 million investment to renovate a fruit fly production facility in Metapa, Mexico.
Once operational, the facility will produce an additional 60–100 million sterile NWS flies weekly, significantly boosting efforts to suppress the pest population further south.
“Our partnership with Mexico is crucial in making this effort a success,” said Secretary Rollins. “We are continuing to work closely with Mexico to push NWS away from the United States and out of Mexico. The investment I am announcing today is one of many efforts my team is making around the clock to protect our animals, our farm economy, and the security of our nation’s food supply.”
Current restrictions on live animal imports from Mexico remain in effect, with USDA reviewing the suspension every 30 days. The USDA has long used the sterile insect technique (SIT), along with surveillance and import controls, to manage NWS.
Currently, the Panama-based COPEG facility produces sterile flies for weekly aerial releases, totaling up to 100 million flies across 44 flights.
The new Metapa facility will allow USDA to double its SIT capacity. Meanwhile, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) continues to collaborate with Mexican officials through technical meetings and field visits.
These efforts aim to enhance surveillance, resolve regulatory challenges, and enforce animal movement controls to prevent NWS spread.
APHIS recently hosted a Mexican delegation in Washington, D.C. and will send a technical team to Mexico soon to assess progress and support ongoing eradication efforts.