Arizona has secured a critical component in the fight against New World Screwworm.

The federal government is contributing $25 million to reopen a sterile fly distribution center in Douglas, perhaps within months.

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the investment on July 29 during a visit to Douglas, where she also discussed plans to reopen the border with Arizona Farm Bureau members and others.

The facility “marks another major investment in our long-term strategy to push this pest back into Mexico and ultimately eradicate it from North America,” Rollins said in a news release.

The Douglas border port is first in line to reopen on Aug. 24, presuming Mexico adheres to a plan to monitor and rein in the pest.

Ports in Santa Teresa and Columbus, N.M., could reopen at least 30 days after Douglas.

Nearly 70% of cattle imported to the U.S. travels through these three ports.

USDA has beefed up staff, surveillance

No cattle, horses or bison have been admitted from Mexico for more than a year in hopes of slowing the spread of this destructive pest.

But Rollins said the USDA now has the surveillance, staff and protocols in place to resume trade while keeping American cattle safe.

More than 8,000 surveillance traps have been deployed on the southern border, with drones and trail cameras actively monitoring livestock and wildlife for signs of infestation.

The Department of Homeland Security also has trained more than 24,000 frontline personnel to identify New World Screwworm at the border.

Screwworm larvae thrive on living flesh, causing painful wounds in livestock, wildlife and pets that are treatable if caught early.

Mexico has confirmed more than 35,000 cases since 2024, with more than 1,800 active cases now.

Of the 42 cases confirmed in Texas and New Mexico since June, only nine remain active, and all affected animals have fully recovered.

Cattle will undergo multiple inspections

Rollins said the Douglas port is best positioned to reopen first, in part because its geography and climate are less favorable to screwworm survival than areas farther east.

The closest active screwworm case is more than 250 miles away, and Sonora — the Mexican state that borders Douglas — has no confirmed screwworm cases.

Cattle must be inspected by an accredited Mexican veterinarian before they arrive at the port.

They also must be outfitted with an electronic ear tag that can be quickly scanned for required origin and inspection information.

Once at the border, cattle will undergo a four-step inspection and treatment process, including an insecticide dip, before entering the U.S.

“The reopening will remain strategic and responsive,” Rollins posted on social media after the announcement. “And protecting American livestock will always come first.”

Sterile fly facility is crucial

Sterile fly distribution is crucial to lower infestation risks long-term.

Female screwworms only mate once in their lifetime. If they mate with a sterile fly, their eggs won’t develop, eliminating the population over time.

Arizona Farm Bureau has strongly advocated reopening a facility at Bisbee-Douglas International Airport, which helped eradicate the pest decades ago.

“We’re very grateful that Secretary Rollins understood the need,” said Ben Menges, a Graham County rancher and Arizona Farm Bureau’s second vice president.

“Given the number of animals that will be coming through our state, we simply can’t take chances.”

The Douglas facility would not produce sterile flies, but it is ideally located to distribute them up to 400 nautical miles — from west Texas to San Diego, including all of Arizona and Sonora.

Paired with the recently opened distribution facility in Edinburg, Texas, the two sites would offer continuous coverage on both sides of the southern border.

Strong support to expedite facility

Arizona sent USDA a more detailed pitch for the facility on July 29, including 21 letters of support from local officials and agricultural groups in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah.

Arizona Farm Bureau was among them.

The proposal plays up the airport’s strategic location and available infrastructure to quickly disperse flies in infested zones.

It offers three potential construction options — two retrofitting an existing hangar and a third building on vacant airport land. 

Cochise County, which owns and operates the airport, would lease the spaces to USDA, with a proposed price for the vacant land far below market rates.

Now that Rollins has pledged $25 million, the agency must quickly refine its plans for the facility and offer a more precise timeline to begin construction.


Joanna Allhands writes about water, land use and other issues important to the Arizona Farm Bureau. Reach her at joannaallhands@azfb.org.