There are plans afoot, including working with countries south of the border to get a handle on it.
USDA Announces Sweeping Plans to Protect the United States from New World Screwworm
Published:
August 15, 2025
(Austin, TX, August 15, 2025) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today at the Texas State Capitol alongside Governor Greg Abbott and stakeholders from across the country announced the largest initiative yet in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plan to combat the New World Screwworm (NWS). This announcement builds upon USDA’s
five-pronged plan issued in June to combat the northward spread of NWS from Mexico into the United States.
NWS is a devastating pest. When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal. NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds, and in rare cases, people. It is not only a threat to our ranching community — but it is a threat to our food supply and our national security.
While USDA is coordinating efforts to combat NWS, it will require continued collaboration between Federal agencies, State governments, and the private sector. That is why USDA is working alongside the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to encourage animal drug development and prioritize approvals for prevention and treatment of the pest, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy on new innovations to enhance our ability to combat the pest with technologies, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection to protect the United States border, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on detecting, preventing, and managing potential human cases. The United States government will also work alongside Governors, State Agriculture Commissioners, State veterinarians, and others to combat this pest.
As part of this comprehensive approach, USDA is taking the following immediate actions:
1.) Innovate Our Way to Eradication
While sterile flies are currently the most effective way to prevent the spread of NWS, technology continues to evolve and as such USDA will provide up to $100 million to invest in viable innovations which could show rapid advancement of promising technologies that will augment the United States facility and accelerate the pace of sterile fly production if proven successful. USDA will support proven concepts that only require funding to scale and implement as well as a number of longer-term research projects focused on: new sterile NWS production techniques, novel NWS traps and lures, NWS therapeutics that could be stockpiled and used should NWS reach the United States, and any other tools to bolster preparedness or response to NWS.
2.) Protect the United States Border – Construction of a Domestic Sterile Screwworm Production Facility
USDA will construct a sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, TX, at Moore Air Force Base, an ideal location due to the existing infrastructure and proximity to the United States-Mexico border. Built with the Army Corps of Engineers, the facility will produce up to 300 million sterile flies per week to combat NWS. This will be the only United States-based sterile fly facility and will work in tandem with facilities in Panama and Mexico to help eradicate the pest and protect American agriculture.
Why it matters:
- National Security & Economic Impact – NWS threatens over $100 billion in United States economic activity tied to the cattle and livestock industry alone.
- Proven Technology – Uses sterile insect technique (SIT)
- Strategic Coverage – Complements Panama’s facility (100M flies/week) and Mexico’s upcoming facility (100M flies/week) to push NWS back toward the Darien Gap.
- Reduced Vulnerability – Ends the United States-based reliance on foreign facilities for sterile fly production.
3.) Wildlife Migration Prevention
Animals don’t know borders, and that leaves the U.S potentially vulnerable to NWS from wildlife migrating across the border. USDA is working aggressively to ramp up the hiring of USDA-employed mounted patrol officers, known as “Tick Riders,” and other staff who will focus on border surveillance. The Tick Riders, who are mounted on horseback, will be complemented by other animal health experts who will patrol the border in vehicles and will provide the first line of defense against an NWS outbreak along the United States-Mexico border.
USDA will also begin training detector dogs to detect screwworm infestations in livestock and other animals along our border and at various ports of entry. These dogs will be essential to help control the spread of the NWS. USDA is working closely with the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S Customs and Border Protection to monitor the border for NWS-infected wildlife that could pose a threat to the United States.
4.) Stop the Pest from Spreading in Mexico and Ensure We Are Full Partners in Eradication
USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is working in collaboration with the National Service of Agri-Food Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) in Mexico to help them contain the pest south of the United States border by enhancing United States oversight, surveillance, improving case reporting, locking down animal movement to prevent further spread, providing traps, lures, training, and verification of Mexican NWS activities. Successful implementation will inform any future trade decisions impacting cattle movements on the southern border including the potential reopening of border areas.
5.) United States Food Safety is of Utmost Importance
To date, NWS has not been reported or detected in the United States in animals. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service inspects animals and carcasses at slaughter, including for NWS to keep the food supply safe.
“We have assessed the information on the ground in Mexico and have determined we must construct an additional sterile fly production facility in the United States to stop the northward advancement of this terrible pest that is threatening American cattle production. President Trump has made it clear that we must take all necessary steps to protect our country from foreign pests and diseases that threaten our economy and way of life. Today we are announcing a major investment to further America’s existential role in protecting our country and secure our borders from this national security threat,”
said Secretary Brooke Rollins. “The construction of a domestic sterile fly production facility will ensure the United States continues to lead the way in combating this devastating pest. If our ranchers are overrun by foreign pests, then we cannot feed ourselves. USDA and Customs and Border Protection are constantly monitoring our ports of entry to keep NWS away from our borders. We are working every day to ensure our American agricultural industry is safe, secure, and resilient.”
“Texas agricultural producers feed the world, with our state’s food and agriculture sector supporting over 2 million well-paying jobs and creating over $867 billion in total economic impact,”
said Texas Greg Governor Abbott. “All of this is at risk because of the New World screwworm. Working with Secretary Rollins and members of the agricultural community nationwide, we will combat the threat from the New World screwworm right here in Texas through the building of a new facility to breed hundreds of millions of sterile New World screwworm flies. Together, we will eradicate the threat from the New World screwworm to protect our nation's food supply and economy.”
“These actions – along with the FDA's efforts to facilitate meaningful treatments – represent an early, proactive, and precautionary approach,”
said FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary, M.D., M.P.H.
“I applaud Secretary Rollins and the USDA team for taking aggressive action to combat the New World Screwworm. In June, my colleagues and I urged the Secretary to build a domestic sterile fly facility, and I’m encouraged to see that priority reflected in USDA’s expanded plan. Protecting America’s livestock from this dangerous pest is critical to safeguarding our food supply, supporting farmers and ranchers, and strengthening our nation’s food security,”
said House Agriculture Committee Chairman, Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15).
“This is exactly the kind of forward-looking investment we need to defend our food supply and livestock industry from foreign biological threats. With a new sterile fly facility on U.S. soil, stronger surveillance at the border, and real coordination between federal, state, and local partners, we’re showing what it looks like to combat the spread of the New World Screwworm. I applaud Secretary Rollins and the Trump administration for their swift action to protect American farmers, ranchers, and taxpayers,”
said House Appropriations Agriculture Subcommittee Chairman, Representative Dr. Andy Harris (MD-1).
“This is bold, decisive action to protect American livestock from the threat of New World screwworm. I commend Secretary Rollins for prioritizing a domestic sterile fly production facility in South Texas and expanding key risk mitigation efforts. These steps will greatly strengthen our preparedness, and I look forward to continuing to work with her to eradicate this dangerous pest,”
said Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Chairman, Arkansas Senator John Boozman.
“As a livestock veterinarian by trade, I understand the risk posed to our food system by foreign animal diseases. As a livestock producer and Governor of America's leading beef producing state, I know that food security is national security. I commend Secretary Brooke Rollins and her team for their extraordinary leadership on fighting foreign animal diseases. They have been at the tip of the spear from the start, and this plan is another example of their diligence and leadership,”
said Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen.
“I appreciate Secretary Rollins continued support of our nation’s Ag producers. This announcement doubles-down on the USDA’s efforts to help feed American families. Oklahoma’s ranchers and producers help feed the world and this action-first effort is a step in the right direction to keep the industry moving forward both in Oklahoma and nationwide,”
said Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt.
“I support USDA’s proactive efforts to combat the potential spread of New World Screwworm in the United State. The construction of the domestic sterile fly facility in Texas represents a significant step forward in the battle to protect Alabama’s livestock industry from this threat,”
said Alabama Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries Rick Pate.
“It took decades to eradicate this parasite from within and adjacent to our borders more than a generation ago, and this is a proactive first step. Cattle markets are already volatile and the introduction of New World screwworm within the U.S. would only increase that volatility. We thank USDA and Secretary Rollins for her leadership protecting the domestic cattle industry and we stand ready to help ensure the speedy and efficient construction of this facility and implementation of the updated plan,”
said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall.
“National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) is grateful for USDA’s investment in defending the U.S. against an outbreak of New World screwworm. NASDA is always committed to working with intergovernmental agencies and industry stakeholders to foster a collaborative approach to animal health initiatives,”
said National Association of State Departments of Agriculture CEO Ted McKinney.
“American cattle producers are thankful for Secretary Brooke Rollins’ leadership and diligence in combatting the spread of New World screwworm. This deadly pest has negatively impacted the cattle industry before but with swift action from Secretary Rollins, we are on our way to stopping it again. USDA’s work in building a sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base will greatly help to stop the spread of screwworm and protect the American cattle herd for years to come,”
said National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Colin Woodall.
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