The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has inaugurated a facility for the dispersal of sterile flies in Tampico, Mexico, as part of its strategy to halt the spread of the New World screwworm. The unit will allow coverage of the entire northeast of Mexico, including Nuevo León, near the U.S. border, Agro Estadão reported.
According to Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, the new plant is “an incredibly important tool,” and containing the pest is a priority for the Trump administration. Around 100 million sterile flies are currently released each week, and the new facility will expand coverage and reach areas previously inaccessible.
The USDA is also investing in a sterile-fly production plant in Texas, scheduled for 2026, as well as another facility in Metapa, Mexico, which will double the production capacity used to combat the pest. These measures form part of a joint sanitary strategy with Mexico to protect the U.S. cattle herd, given that the New World screwworm poses a direct risk to animal welfare and livestock productivity.
