The US cattle industry faces mounting threats from a screwworm outbreak, with the country's primary defense—a sterile fly production facility—still more than a year away from operation. The New World screwworm, a deadly parasite that infests livestock, was detected in six cattle in Texas earlier this month, marking the first US livestock cases in five decades. The outbreak comes at a precarious time for the cattle industry, which is already struggling with drought and high production costs that have reduced the national herd to a 75-year low.
Key Weapon Delayed Until 2027
The most effective method to combat screwworm involves breeding sterile flies to disrupt the parasite's reproductive cycle. However, a facility under construction at Moore Air Base in Texas will not begin producing sterile flies until November 2027, with full capacity not expected for several years. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins acknowledged the delay, stating that the US will not be able to eradicate the parasite until the facility reaches full production but expressed optimism about containment efforts.
"We’re not going to be able to eradicate it until we’ve got the couple hundred million more flies coming in, but we will be able to contain it," Rollins said.
Economic Impact on American Workers
The delay in sterile fly production threatens to exacerbate economic pressures on livestock producers, who face increased costs for monitoring and treating infected animals. This could further drive up cattle prices, discourage herd rebuilding, and push consumer beef prices to new highs. A prolonged outbreak could also strain beef processors, who are already operating at losses due to the current supply crunch.
For now, the US relies on limited production from facilities in Panama and Mexico, which together produce up to 200 million sterile flies weekly. However, experts warn that this output falls far short of the 500 million flies needed weekly to effectively combat the outbreak. The delayed Texas facility, once operational, is expected to produce up to 300 million sterile flies weekly—a critical step toward mitigating the screwworm threat and protecting the US cattle industry.