Rollins’ Mexico Visit Highlights Intensifying Binational Fight Against New World Screwworm
Sterile fly production expansion underscores that containing the pest at its source remains the highest priority for both governments
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins will attend the inauguration of a sterile New World screwworm (NWS) fly production facility in Mexico this week, an event that carries significance well beyond a ceremonial ribbon cutting. The appearance signals an increasingly close U.S./Mexico partnership as both countries race to contain the flesh-eating parasite before it becomes even more deeply entrenched in northern Mexico and the southern United States.
For U.S. livestock producers, the strategy remains straightforward: the battle against New World screwworm is far less costly if it is won in Mexico than if it must be fought across the U.S. cattle belt. Sterile insect technology has historically proven to be the only successful large-scale eradication tool. Because female screwworm flies mate only once, releasing millions of sterile males causes the wild population to collapse over time. The challenge today is one of scale. Existing production capacity has fallen well short of what scientists believe is necessary to halt the current outbreak, prompting both countries to rapidly expand sterile fly production.
The Mexican facility is expected to substantially increase weekly sterile fly output and complements USDA’s broader strategy, which includes construction of additional production capacity in Texas and continued aerial releases over affected regions. USDA has previously said renovated facilities in Mexico could add 60 million to 100 million sterile flies each week, while long-term U.S. production is also being expanded.
| Texas facility will restore U.S. sterile fly productionNew USDA plant is designed to dramatically expand North America’s capacity to combat New World screwworm While USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins’ trip to Mexico highlights the importance of expanding sterile fly production south of the border, USDA is also investing in what will become the nation’s first large-scale New World screwworm sterile fly production facility in decades. The plant, under construction at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, is designed to ensure the United States no longer relies primarily on foreign production capacity to respond to future outbreaks. USDA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers broke ground on the approximately $610 million facility in April 2026. Construction is expected to continue through 2027, with initial operations targeted for late 2027. At startup, the plant is expected to produce 100 million sterile flies per week, with the capability to expand to 300 million flies weekly, making it the largest sterile New World screwworm production facility in North America. The production plant complements USDA’s sterile fly dispersal facility, which opened earlier this year at the same Edinburg site. That center receives sterile flies from existing production facilities and distributes them by air over outbreak areas. The new production facility will add the ability to breed, sterilize and package flies domestically, greatly reducing reliance on the long-standing COPEG facility in Panama and supplementing new production coming online in Mexico. The investment reflects USDA’s recognition that sterile insect technology remains the cornerstone of New World screwworm eradication. Historically, successful eradication campaigns required the release of 400 million to 500 million sterile flies each week. Once the Texas plant reaches full capacity, and when combined with production in Panama and Mexico, North America will be much closer to achieving the release volumes needed to establish an effective biological barrier against the parasite and respond more rapidly to future incursions into the United States. |
Rollins’ participation also reflects improving diplomatic coordination after several months of friction over Mexico’s response to the outbreak and the resulting suspension of U.S. imports of Mexican cattle. The two governments now appear focused on presenting a united front, recognizing that neither country can successfully eradicate the pest acting alone. The appearance alongside Sheinbaum sends a message that operational cooperation — including surveillance, fly releases, animal movement controls, and facility investments — has become the centerpiece of North America’s containment strategy.
Despite the increased cooperation, the threat remains significant. USDA continues to confirm new cases in Texas, underscoring that even aggressive surveillance and sterile fly releases cannot immediately eliminate established infestations. Livestock groups will likely view the opening of the Mexican facility as one of the most important developments since the outbreak began because every increase in sterile fly production improves the odds of pushing the pest south before it gains a broader foothold in the United States.
