Texas New World screwworm cases spur USDA sterile‑fly response

The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed two additional New World screwworm infestations in Texas, bringing the total to four confirmed cases. The new detections involved a calf in La Salle County and a dog in Andrews County, hundreds of miles apart, highlighting the difficulty of containing the flesh‑eating fly that threatens the nation’s $113 billion cattle industry.

The USDA is expanding its sterile‑male‑fly program, which relies on releasing sterile males to halt reproduction. Officials announced plans to boost production at existing facilities outside the United States and to build a new breeding plant near Edinburg, Texas. The Texas factory, budgeted at $750 million, is designed to produce up to 300 million sterile flies per week and is slated for completion in November 2027. A second facility in southern Mexico is expected to begin weekly output of 100 million flies next month.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott urged the federal government to accelerate construction, offering state funds to keep work running around the clock. While experts say the current cases are unlikely to disrupt beef supply dramatically, the resurgence of the pest—last seen in Texas in 1966—has renewed concerns about a potential outbreak that could impact livestock movement and market prices.