FORT WORTH, Texas (February 9, 2026) — Stephen Diebel, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association first vice president, alongside U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and Governor Greg Abbott, today attended the grand opening of the USDA Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Airfield Base.
Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association was well represented at the announcement and communicated the association’s support and emphasize the importance of protecting the U.S. beef herd.
“The value of equipping the U.S. to combat the threat of New World screwworm cannot be overstated,” Diebel said. “As Texans and cattle producers, we celebrate the opening of the sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Airfield Base, strengthening our nation’s ability to protect our cattle herd health, food security and economy which would suffer from any incursion of New World screwworm.”
The dispersal facility, a critical piece to USDA’s sweeping five-pronged plan, was provided funding by the Trump Administration in June 2025. Since then, the fly has continued its northward migration out of Central America and established populations 187 miles south of the Texas-Mexico border. The facility will be capable of dispersing up to 100 million sterile flies per week.
“Advocating for the resources, infrastructure and coordination needed to increase sterile fly production has long been a priority for the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association,” Diebel said. “We remain committed to supporting both state and federal efforts to manage this threat and deeply appreciate the Trump Administration, Secretary Rollins, USDA staff and Governor Abbott in prioritizing the needs of Texas and U.S. production agriculture.”
Planning is underway with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for construction of the domestic sterile fly production facility, with a projected capacity of 300 million sterile flies per week. This will be the only U.S.-based sterile fly production facility. In August 2025, USDA committed $750 million to build this facility.
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