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Sterile Fly Facility Coming to Texas

By Ryan King Jun 20, 2025 | 8:03 AM

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the construction of a new $8.5 million sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Airfield Base in South Texas to combat the New World screwworm also known as NWS, a dangerous pest threatening U.S. livestock.

The facility will help increase production of sterile flies— which is the only known method to stop NWS reproduction—and enhance USDA’s ability to prevent the pest from crossing the border.

The move comes after recent NWS detections in Mexico prompted import restrictions on live animals. The facility is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.

The announcement has received strong support from cattle industry leaders, including the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, who emphasized the critical role of sterile flies in protecting the U.S. beef herds.

 

Photo Credit: The USDA

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