Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced Wednesday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest $25 million to open a new sterile fly dispersal facility in Arizona as part of efforts to combat New World Screwworm (NWS), a parasitic pest that primarily targets livestock but can also infest humans and wildlife.
New World Screwworm is a fly larvae that feeds on living tissue and has historically posed significant threats to cattle operations across the southern United States. The USDA eradicated NWS from the continental U.S. in 1982 through a decades-long sterile insect technique program, but cases have been rising along the southern border as the pest spreads northward from Central America.
What the Right Is Saying
Republican lawmakers from Arizona joined Rollins at the announcement, including Reps. Andy Biggs, Juan Ciscomani, and Eli Crane, who emphasized the importance of protecting Arizona's cattle industry from a pest they described as an existential threat to ranchers along the border. Conservative agricultural groups have argued that swift federal action is necessary to prevent NWS from establishing permanent populations in U.S. territory. The American Farm Bureau Federation has called the investment a critical step toward safeguarding livestock herds and preventing economic losses to ranchers.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive agricultural policy advocates have broadly supported increased federal investment in pest eradication programs, though some have called for more emphasis on sustainable and ecological approaches to livestock management. The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition has previously advocated for integrated pest management strategies that reduce long-term reliance on chemical treatments. Environmental groups note that NWS outbreaks are linked to climate-driven changes in agricultural zones and have urged the USDA to incorporate climate adaptation planning into its eradication strategy.
What the Numbers Show
The USDA's $25 million investment will fund construction of a sterile fly dispersal facility designed to produce and release irradiated male flies that mate with wild females but produce no offspring. This sterile insect technique has been the cornerstone of NWS eradication efforts since the 1950s. The pest was declared eradicated from the continental U.S. in 1982 after a $1.5 billion, 30-year program. In fiscal year 2024, USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reported handling 70 confirmed cases of NWS infestation in animals along the southern border, up from fewer than 10 annually just five years ago.
The Bottom Line
The Arizona facility represents a significant expansion of federal pest control infrastructure as NWS continues spreading northward. Agriculture officials have warned that without intervention, the pest could reach Texas and Florida cattle operations within two to three years. Rollins said construction is expected to begin in 2027, with full operational capacity targeted for 2029. Congress will need to appropriate additional funds in future budget cycles to sustain the program long-term.