FAO and IAEA Launch Nuclear-Powered Project to Combat Screwworm Outbreak Threatening Texas

The International Atomic Energy Agency and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations announced a coordinated research project on June 19, 2026, deploying nuclear technology to combat the New World screwworm outbreak now affecting Texas livestock and wildlife.

The five-year initiative, backed by a $1 million budget, will unite experts from more than 20 affected countries to strengthen surveillance, improve mass-rearing of sterile flies, and refine the sterile insect technique that successfully eradicated the pest from the United States once before.

A Proven Weapon Revisited

The sterile insect technique lies at the heart of the international response. Scientists irradiate male screwworm flies to sterilize them, then release these males into wild populations. When they mate with fertile females, the resulting eggs produce no offspring. Over successive generations, the technique collapses wild populations without chemicals or environmental damage.

This same approach eliminated the screwworm from the United States by 1982 and pushed the pest south through Mexico to Panama by 2006. For decades, a biological barrier of sterile flies maintained in the Darién Gap prevented northern migration. That barrier failed in 2022, allowing the parasite to advance through Central America and Mexico until it crossed into Texas on June 3, 2026 — the first confirmed U.S. case in over 40 years.

"The return of New World Screwworm is already causing serious damage in the region, threatening animals, livelihoods and economies," said IAEA Director-General Rafael Mariano Grossi. "Through nuclear science and technology, and by coordinating with a new generation of researchers, the IAEA is helping countries strengthen the tools they need to detect, suppress and ultimately control this devastating pest."

The Scale of the Response

Containing the current outbreak demands staggering numbers of sterile flies. Emergency response calculations suggest requirements of up to 600 million sterile flies per week across the affected region. Current production falls short. The COPEG facility in Panama, the only operational mass-rearing center, produces approximately 100 million sterile flies weekly.

Expanded capacity at facilities in Metapa de Domínguez, Mexico, and Mission, Texas, could add another 400 million flies per week within the coming years. The FAO/IAEA project aims to bridge this gap by improving cost-effectiveness of mass-rearing operations, enhancing handling and release methods, and studying mating behavior to ensure released males compete successfully with wild counterparts.

Texas at the Epicenter

With 12 confirmed cases spread across 13 counties including Zavala, La Salle, Sutton, and Tom Green, Texas has become ground zero for the U.S. screwworm response. Governor Greg Abbott issued a statewide disaster declaration covering all 254 counties. The Texas Animal Health Commission established quarantine zones restricting movement of warm-blooded animals from affected areas.

The economic stakes extend far beyond individual ranchers. Texas A&M AgriLife economists note that the previous screwworm eradication generated approximately $1.3 billion in annual benefits for livestock producers across the United States, Mexico, and Central America. The parasite can kill infested animals, damage hides, reduce milk and meat production, and require expensive veterinary intervention.

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu emphasized the cross-border nature of the threat: "The New World screwworm outbreak in Central America, Mexico and the United States is a timely warning that pests and diseases never respect territories, and addressing this reemerged threat across boundaries requires vigilance, international cooperation, and sustained coherent management in monitoring, science, and innovation."

What Comes Next

The coordinated research project will focus on practical improvements to the sterile insect technique pipeline. Researchers will develop better methods for managing screwworm strains, optimize sterilization protocols, and enhance release strategies. The project also addresses mating compatibility between different screwworm populations — a critical factor when deploying sterile flies across diverse geographic regions.

For Texas livestock producers and wildlife managers, the international coordination offers hope of containing the outbreak before it establishes permanent footholds. The screwworm affects all warm-blooded animals, including cattle, horses, dogs, cats, and wildlife. With approximately 5 million white-tailed deer in Texas alone, the potential for wildlife reservoirs complicates eradication efforts.

The FAO/IAEA announcement coincides with Texas officials launching screwworm.texas.gov, a centralized portal providing identification resources, zone maps, and certification training for inspectors. Between international scientific coordination and state-level response infrastructure, the multi-layered defense against the screwworm reflects the complexity of modern agricultural biosecurity challenges.

Texas ranchers can report suspected screwworm cases in livestock to the Texas Animal Health Commission at 1-800-550-8242. Wildlife sightings should be reported to Texas Parks and Wildlife at 512-389-4505.