US Government Ramps Up Expensive Fly Factory Gamble to Shield Cattle Industry

For decades, American cattle producers have faced a relentless enemy: the New World screwworm fly. Its devastating flesh-eating maggots threaten livestock health, drive up beef prices, and imperil rural economies. Now, in perhaps an overambitious response, the U.S. government is doubling down with a $750 million sterile fly factory in southern Texas — a massive investment that raises serious questions about government spending priorities and border security strategies. Is This High-Tech Fly Factory the Answer or an Expensive Band-Aid? The USDA’s plan to breed billions of sterile male flies near the Rio Grande is touted as a proactive step to...