Something straight out of a horror movie is creeping toward Texas, and our government just announced they’re building a massive defense system right here in the Lone Star State to stop it.
What’s This Terrifying Threat?
Meet the New World Screwworm – and trust me, it’s as awful as it sounds. These aren’t your garden-variety flies. When their larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of living animals, they literally eat them alive from the inside out. We’re talking cattle, horses, sheep, pets, wildlife, and yes, even people in rare cases.
This isn’t some distant threat. The screwworm is already in Mexico and moving north toward the Texas border. If it crosses into the United States, it could devastate our $100 billion livestock industry and threaten our entire food supply.
The Texas Solution: A Sterile Fly Army
Here’s where it gets fascinating (and a little sci-fi). U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins just announced at the Texas State Capitol that we’re building a sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Force Base in Edinburg, Texas.
This facility will pump out 300 million sterile flies per week. Yes, you read that right – 300 million. These sterile males will mate with wild screwworm females, but produce no offspring, essentially causing the population to crash.
Governor Greg Abbott was there for the announcement, emphasizing that “Texas agricultural producers feed the world” and this facility will help “eradicate the threat from the New World screwworm to protect our nation’s food supply and economy.”
Why This Matters to Every Texan
Your Food Security is at Stake: Texas agriculture supports over 2 million jobs and creates $867 billion in total economic impact. If screwworms devastate our livestock, food prices could skyrocket and rural communities could collapse.
It’s a National Security Issue: Secretary Rollins made it clear: “If our ranchers are overrun by foreign pests, then we cannot feed ourselves.” This isn’t just about agriculture – it’s about America’s ability to remain food-independent.
The Historical Precedent: Back in the 1950s and 60s, screwworms devastated Texas deer and livestock populations. It took decades to eradicate them, and now they’re trying to come back.
The Five-Part Battle Plan
- Innovation Investment ($100 Million): USDA is investing up to $100 million in new technologies to fight screwworms, including better traps, new treatments, and improved sterile fly production methods.
- The Texas Facility: The Edinburg facility will be built by the Army Corps of Engineers and will be America’s only domestic sterile fly facility, working alongside facilities in Panama and Mexico.
- Border Defense – “Tick Riders”: USDA is hiring mounted patrol officers on horseback (seriously!) plus training detector dogs to spot screwworm infestations at the border and ports of entry.
- Mexico Partnership: We’re working directly with Mexico to contain the pest south of our border through enhanced surveillance, training, and case reporting.
- Food Safety Monitoring: USDA inspectors are watching for screwworms in animals and carcasses at slaughter to keep our food supply safe.
What Texas Leaders Are Saying
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller called it “like something straight out of a horror film” but praised Secretary Rollins’ “strong leadership” in addressing the threat.
Texas Parks and Wildlife Executive Director Dr. David Yoskowitz emphasized the threat to wildlife, especially white-tailed deer that hunters and nature lovers cherish.
The Texas Cattle Feeders Association noted that this facility puts Texas “on the front lines of this critical fight” to protect the state’s $13 billion annual cattle industry.
The Technology Behind the Defense
The sterile insect technique (SIT) is proven technology. Here’s how it works:
- Scientists sterilize male screwworm flies using radiation
- Millions of these sterile males are released into the wild
- They mate with wild females, but produce no viable offspring
- The screwworm population crashes over successive generations
Strategic Coverage:
- Panama facility: 100 million flies/week
- Mexico facility: 100 million flies/week (under construction)
- Texas facility: 300 million flies/week (new!)
Together, these facilities will create a “sterile fly barrier” pushing screwworms back toward Central America.
What You Can Do
Stay Informed: Monitor your livestock and pets for unusual wounds that don’t heal. Screwworm infestations look like infected cuts that get worse instead of better.
Report Suspicious Cases: If you see anything that looks like screwworm damage, contact your local veterinarian or animal health officials immediately.
Support the Effort: This facility will need skilled workers and community support. It represents hundreds of jobs and a major economic boost for the Rio Grande Valley.
The Bottom Line
This isn’t just about protecting cattle – it’s about protecting Texas’s way of life and America’s food security. The screwworm nearly destroyed our livestock industry once before, and we’re not going to let it happen again.
The new facility in Edinburg represents the largest single investment in screwworm eradication in U.S. history. With $100 million in innovation funding and 300 million sterile flies per week, Texas is leading the charge to keep this nightmare pest from crossing our border.
As one livestock producer put it, “The New World screwworm devastated deer and livestock populations in Texas in the 50’s and 60’s.” Those who lived through it “will do everything possible to prevent the same thing from happening again.”
Pro Tip: The facility is expected to be substantially complete by the end of 2025, with initial operations focusing on fly distribution. Full production capabilities will come online as the threat assessment evolves.
Key Facts:
- Location: Moore Air Force Base, Edinburg, Texas
- Capacity: 300 million sterile flies per week
- Investment: Part of $100 million innovation initiative
- Timeline: Substantial completion by end of 2025
- Economic Impact: Protecting $100+ billion livestock industry
Texas feeds the world – and now we’re making sure nothing stops us from continuing to do so.
