Overview
- Federal leaders broke ground at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, launching construction of a USDA sterile fly production facility led by Secretary Brooke Rollins and Lt. Gen. William H. “Butch” Graham.
- The plant will rear male flies and sterilize them using radiation, which stops the pest’s spread because female screwworm flies mate only once.
- USDA set an initial operational target of November 2027 with planned output of 100 million sterile flies per week.
- Production is slated to scale to 300 million per week, with the Army Corps overseeing design and construction to meet strict biosecurity and reliability standards.
- The facility will augment current output from the Panama COPEG site and planned upgrades in Mexico, strengthening a cross-border push to protect ranchers, wildlife, and pets.