USDA Facility in South Texas Hiring Hundreds to Combat New World Screwworm Infestation
A USDA sterile fly facility being built in Edinburg, South Texas, is hiring hundreds of workers to combat the New World screwworm.
Albuquerque Santa Fe, NM, November 10, 2026 — The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is establishing a significant operation in Edinburg, South Texas, focused on combating the New World screwworm. The facility, designed as a sterile fly production center, is actively recruiting hundreds of workers to support its mission.
The New World screwworm is an insect pest that infests livestock and other warm-blooded animals. Its larvae feed on living flesh, posing a serious threat to animal health and agricultural economies. The USDA’s strategy involves producing and releasing millions of sterile male flies into affected areas. These sterile males mate with wild females, preventing the production of viable offspring and thus reducing the wild population.
The construction and operational ramp-up of the Edinburg facility indicate a substantial effort to address the current or anticipated resurgence of the screwworm pest. Hiring hundreds of individuals suggests the scale of the operation and the urgent need for personnel to manage the complex process of fly rearing, sterilization, and distribution.
The specific timeline for the full operation of the facility and the projected impact on screwworm populations were not detailed in the available information. However, the establishment of this dedicated sterile fly production site in South Texas underscores the USDA’s commitment to agricultural pest management through innovative biological control methods.
Story summarized from the original created by Sandra Sanchez on www.krqe.com, see more information here.
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