August 19, 2025

Texas Takes Major Steps to Protect Agriculture in Edinburg

News Summary

In Edinburg, Texas announces significant measures to combat the New World Screwworm (NWS), a threat to agriculture. With a $1 billion investment from the USDA and state officials, a sterile fly production facility will aim to eradicate this invasive species. Governor Abbott emphasizes the economic stakes involved, as losses could be catastrophic for cattle and wildlife industries. A proactive response team will monitor and tackle the NWS threat along the U.S.-Mexico border, aiming to secure Texas’s agricultural future.

Texas has announced a monumental investment of nearly $1 billion to combat the invasive New World Screwworm (NWS) threat to its agriculture and livestock industries. U.S. Senator John Cornyn and Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressed their support for this initiative led by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins.

This federal investment includes $750 million earmarked for the construction of a new sterile fly production facility in Edinburg, Texas. This facility is expected to produce approximately 300 million sterile screwworm flies per week, aimed at eradicating the NWS pest that poses a significant danger to both Texas’s and the nation’s agricultural landscape.

The New World Screwworm is a parasitic fly that lays its eggs in the open wounds of warm-blooded animals, leading to severe damage and, in many cases, death. The risks associated with the NWS are particularly pronounced in Texas, which has a long-standing cattle industry that remains a vital part of the state’s food supply. The USDA’s investment initiative stems from a recent report indicating that the NWS was detected about 700 miles from the southern U.S. border.

In a proactive measure to prevent an NWS infestation, the USDA has temporarily halted cattle imports from Mexico. Governor Abbott warned that economic losses from the NWS could reach billions of dollars annually, jeopardizing not only the cattle industry but also the lucrative hunting industry in Texas. Historical context underscores these concerns, as a previous outbreak of NWS in the 1960s severely impacted 80% of Texas’s white-tailed deer population.

The new facility will be the first U.S.-based sterile fly production center dedicated to managing the screwworm population. Previously, the United States relied on production facilities in Panama and Mexico. Additionally, the USDA is investing up to $100 million in innovative technologies to monitor and combat the NWS. These technologies include advanced traps and modular sterile fly units.

To enhance monitoring efforts, the USDA plans to recruit mounted patrol officers, also known as tick riders, who will keep watch over livestock along the U.S.-Mexico border for potential NWS activity. Significantly, the USDA is also collaborating with Mexican agricultural officials to improve oversight and control of NWS within Mexico’s borders.

The implications of a widespread NWS infestation in Texas could be dire, with projections suggesting potential losses of $2.1 billion within the cattle industry and $9 billion in the hunting and wildlife sectors. In recognition of this threat, the Texas Animal Health Commission and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department have established a New World Screwworm Response Team to coordinate state efforts against this pest.

Finally, the USDA plans to support the development of animal drugs focused on prevention and treatment options for NWS. Secretary Rollins underscored that the threat from NWS not only jeopardizes American agriculture but also poses risks to the national security of the United States.