Mexico and U.S. Unite to Combat Screwworm with $51M Facility

Mexico and the U.S. are collaborating to build a $51 million facility in southern Mexico to combat the screwworm pest which affects livestock exports. The plant will produce 100 million sterile flies weekly by 2026 to control the pest population, facilitating phased reopening of U.S. borders for Mexican livestock.

Mexico and the United States have embarked on a joint venture to tackle the screwworm pest, which has disrupted cattle exports from Mexico to the U.S. A $51 million facility is under construction in southern Mexico to produce sterile screwworm flies, a vital strategy to control the pest.

The project, with financial backing from both nations, is expected to produce 100 million sterile flies weekly by early 2026. The U.S., contributing $21 million of the total cost, sees this as a crucial step, given its recent border constraints due to the pest's northward movement.

Following the pest's resurgence in Mexico, the U.S. suspended livestock imports but has since moved to gradually reopen ports. In parallel, a sterile fly dispersal facility in Hidalgo County, Texas, is also being developed, underscoring the bilateral commitment to managing this agricultural threat.

(With inputs from agencies.)