The United States is initiating a significant project aimed at producing thousands of sterile flies in a factory located in southern Texas, with the goal of safeguarding American cattle from flesh-consuming maggots originating in Mexico.

The New World screwworm is a “devastating pest,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a news release this week. 

“When larvae of the New World screwworm (NWS) penetrate the flesh of living animals, they inflict severe, potentially fatal harm. NWS can affect livestock, domestic animals, wildlife, sometimes birds, and in extremely rare cases, humans. It poses a severe risk not only to our farming community but also threatens our food resources and national safety.”

The factory’s construction is anticipated to require an investment of $750 million and is slated to be established at Moore Air Force Base, situated just outside of Edinburg, Texas, approximately 20 miles from the border.

Technicians prepare bait to attract flies near a cattle auction in Hermosillo, Sonora state, Mexico, in July.  (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)

The parasite has hit Mexican cattle industry hard, and Mexico’s agriculture ministry said it plans to take steps to mitigate the problem. 

The New World screwworm was a significant issue for the American cattle sector until it was almost eradicated in the 1970s through the production of sterile flies, leading to the closure of previous factories after their success.