Photo: CDC.gov
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers today announced a construction contract with Mortenson Construction to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas. This facility is a key component in Secretary Rollins’ sweeping 5-prong strategy to fight New World Screwworm, as it will expand USDA’s domestic response capacity, bolstering protection for U.S. livestock, wildlife, and public health.
“The Army Corps of Engineers is an essential partner in bringing this facility to life and further highlights the Trump Administration’s government wide effort to fight the New World Screwworm threat in Mexico,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “The Army Corps is the best in the business and their engineering expertise and proven track record in delivering complex projects will help ensure we can build a modern, resilient facility that protects American agriculture from invasive pests for decades to come. This first of its kind facility on U.S. soil will ensure we are not reliant on other countries for sterile flies.”
The Army Corp of Engineers is partnering with USDA and will provide oversight for the contract, design, engineering, and construction of the facility.
USDA will break ground on this new facility later this spring, after initial planning and development meetings with the new contractor.
By November 2027, the production facility at Moore Air Base is expected to reach its initial goal of producing 100 million sterile flies per week. After that, construction will continue at the facility to increase production with the long-term goal of producing 300 million sterile flies per week.
USDA news release
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