USDA Fast-Tracks Texas Screwworm Facility by 7 Months to Combat Parasite Spread

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is accelerating construction of a critical sterile fly facility in South Texas, shaving seven months off the original timeline as New World screwworm cases continue mounting across the state.

The facility at Moore Air Base near Edinburg, originally slated for completion in 2027, will now begin operations in early 2026 thanks to streamlined contracting and round-the-clock construction shifts. The plant will produce millions of sterile New World screwworm flies weekly, creating a biological barrier to prevent the parasite's northward spread.

An Aggressive Timeline

USDA officials announced the accelerated schedule alongside a new border surveillance initiative deploying additional inspectors and canine teams at Texas ports of entry. The dual approach — rapid facility construction plus enhanced border monitoring — represents the most aggressive federal response since the screwworm first crossed into Texas from Mexico in June.

The Edinburg facility joins a network of sterile fly production plants designed to overwhelm wild screwworm populations with radiation-sterilized males. When these males mate with wild females, the females produce no offspring, gradually collapsing the population. The technique, pioneered by USDA scientists in the 1950s, eliminated screwworms from the United States by 1966 — until this year's reintroduction.

Why Speed Matters

With 45 confirmed infestations across 22 Texas counties as of early August, every week counts. The screwworm, a parasitic fly whose larvae burrow into living tissue, can kill untreated livestock within days. Adult flies can travel up to 180 miles, meaning unchecked populations spread rapidly.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller praised the accelerated timeline, noting that producers in South Texas have faced unprecedented movement restrictions and veterinary costs since the outbreak began. The facility's earlier opening should reduce reliance on sterile flies shipped from the Panama facility, cutting response time dramatically.

What's Next

USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service continues aerial dispersal of sterile flies across affected counties while ground crews treat infected animals. The agency also expanded its emergency use authorization for wound treatments, giving veterinarians additional tools to protect livestock.

For Texas ranchers, the faster facility timeline offers tangible hope. The sterile insect technique remains the only proven method for eradicating New World screwworm at scale — and now, that solution arrives months sooner than expected.