The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) today announced a construction contract with Mortenson Construction to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas. This facility is a key component in Secretary Rollins’ sweeping 5-prong strategy (PDF, 1005 KB) to fight New World Screwworm (NWS), as it will expand USDA’s domestic response capacity, bolstering protection for U.S. livestock, wildlife, and public health.
USACE is partnering with USDA and will provide oversight for the contract, design, engineering, and construction of the facility.
“The Army Corps of Engineers is an essential partner in bringing this facility to life and further highlights the Trump Administration’s government wide effort to fight the New World Screwworm threat in Mexico,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “The Army Corps is the best in the business and their engineering expertise and proven track record in delivering complex projects will help ensure we can build a modern, resilient facility that protects American agriculture from invasive pests for decades to come. This first of its kind facility on U.S. soil will ensure we are not reliant on other countries for sterile flies.”
“For more than 250 years, USACE has helped secure America by engineering solutions to our nation’s toughest challenges. We are proud to be partnering with USDA in the construction of the Sterile Fly Facility, a critical investment in our nation’s future agricultural, public and economic health. Combining our engineering expertise with USDA’s mission expertise brings us one step closer to alleviating this biological threat,” said Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers commanding general.
Source : usda.gov