America is building a massive fly factory in Texas to combat a terrifying flesh-eating parasite that could devastate the nation’s cattle industry if it crosses the border from Mexico.
Key Takeaways
- The U.S. government is investing $21 million to establish a facility in Texas that will produce up to 300 million sterile screwworm flies weekly to combat a dangerous parasite threatening cattle.
- The flesh-eating New World screwworm parasite has already been detected 700 miles from the U.S. border, causing the suspension of live cattle imports from Mexico.
- The strategy involves releasing sterile male flies to mate with females, preventing reproduction of the parasite that can infest any mammal, including humans.
- This initiative replicates a successful eradication program from the 1960s and represents critical protection for America’s beef supply and agricultural economy.
Strategic Defense Against a Devastating Threat
The U.S. government is taking decisive action against a dangerous parasite threatening American cattle by establishing a fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Texas. The New World screwworm fly, whose larvae feed on the living flesh of warm-blooded animals, has been detected as close as 700 miles from the U.S. border. This proximity has triggered an aggressive response including the suspension of live cattle, horse, and bison imports from Mexico. The strategic location of the facility near the border will serve as a crucial defense line against this agricultural menace.
“The United States has defeated NWS before, and we will do it again,” said Brooke Rollins, Director of the Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Innovative Biological Warfare Strategy
The Texas facility will employ a scientifically proven method of pest control that previously eradicated the screwworm fly from the United States in the 1960s. By breeding and releasing sterile male flies, the program creates a biological barrier that prevents reproduction. When these sterile males mate with wild females, no viable offspring result, effectively breaking the parasite’s life cycle. The $21 million investment will convert an existing fruit fly breeding facility and could eventually produce up to 300 million flies per week, creating a formidable defense against the parasite’s northward migration.
“The only way to protect the American cattle herd from the devastating threat of New World screwworm is by having a sufficient supply of sterile flies to push this pest away from our border,” said Buck Wehrbein, Chairman of the National Beef Cattlemen’s Association Animal Health Committee.
International Cooperation to Protect Agricultural Security
This initiative represents a collaborative effort between the United States and Mexico to combat a shared threat. The Texas facility will be the second such operation in the Western Hemisphere, complementing an existing one in Panama. Mexican officials have expressed support for the American plan, recognizing its importance for both nations’ agricultural economies. The cooperative approach acknowledges that parasites don’t respect national boundaries and that effective control requires coordinated international action to protect livestock and wildlife on both sides of the border.
“This seems to us a positive step in different aspects, it will strengthen the joint Mexico-US work,” said Julio Berdegué, Mexican Agriculture Secretary, regarding the fly factory initiative.
Protecting America’s Food Security
The threat posed by the New World screwworm extends beyond cattle to all mammals, including wildlife, pets, and even humans in rare cases. The economic impact of an uncontrolled infestation would be devastating for American farmers and ranchers, potentially disrupting the domestic beef supply and driving up food prices. The swift response by the Trump administration demonstrates a commitment to agricultural security and preventing unnecessary economic hardship for American consumers. The facility, expected to be operational within 18 months, represents a proactive approach to border security that protects both economic and food security interests.
