The U.S. Department of Agriculture has opened a sterile fly dispersal facility in Tampico, Mexico, calling it a major step in efforts to stop the spread of the dangerous, flesh-eating New World screwworm.
USDA officials say the site will allow aircraft to release sterile flies across northeastern Mexico, giving teams faster and broader coverage than ground operations alone.
Tampico is about 400 miles south of the Texas border at Laredo.
It's hoped the added reach will help keep the pest from moving north toward the United States.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the new facility strengthens the joint U.S.-Mexico campaign. She noted recent discussions with Mexican officials on improving coordination and ensuring response protocols are followed.
New World screwworms threaten the U.S. food chain because their larvae feed on the living tissue of animals.
This can cause severe wounds, infections, and death in livestock.
Cattle and other herd animals are especially vulnerable, and large outbreaks can lead to major economic losses for producers.
A widespread infestation would disrupt the livestock supply, create price instability, and strain operations across the food industry.
The pest's ability to spread quickly makes it a direct risk to food security and national security.
The USDA continues to disperse about 100 million sterile flies each week, a tactic aimed at preventing screwworm populations from reproducing.
Until now, aerial releases were limited to southern Mexico, forcing crews to rely on ground-release chambers farther north. The ability to conduct aerial operations from Tampico will allow quicker deployment if new cases appear outside current hot spots.
Most recent detections remain in southern Mexico.
Two northern cases confirmed in September and October were contained, and no additional screwworm activity has been detected in animals or traps in that area. The closest detection was about 70 miles from the Texas border.
The USDA produces sterile flies at a site in Panama and is investing in Mexico's effort to renovate another facility that is expected to double production when it comes online in 2026.
The department is also expanding U.S. capacity. Construction is underway on an aerial dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, which is expected to begin operations in early 2026.
Plans are also advancing for a sterile fly production facility in southern Texas with a projected capacity of 300 million flies per week.
The USDA continues to work with Mexico's agriculture authority to direct surveillance, trapping, and animal movement controls aimed at stopping the northward spread of the insect.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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