Congressman Biggs Obtains Victory for Arizona Ranchers and Farmers

GILBERT, ARIZONA- Last week, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins visited the Port of Entry in Douglas, Arizona, to reveal that a multi-million-dollar sterile fly dispersal facility would be built in the state to combat the New World screwworm – a parasitic fly that feeds on the flesh of warm-blooded livestock, killing them if left untreated. The new facility will serve as a critical line of defense for the Southwest, expanding the nation's sterile fly dispersal capacity beyond Texas while strengthening Arizona's ability to protect its livestock industry and prevent the New World screwworm from spreading into the region as the Douglas Port of Entry reopens to cattle imports later this month.

This announcement follows Congressman Biggs's efforts to position Arizona as a national leader in New World screwworm prevention by working with Secretary Rollins and USDA officials to highlight the state's infrastructure, expertise, and cross border partnerships that support robust livestock inspections and protect the nation's livestock industry. In his June 9 letter, Congressman Biggs specifically highlighted the historic Douglas sterile fly facility, identifying it as a “strategically valuable location for future production capacity [to] strengthen Arizona’s ability to support national containment efforts.”

“Thanks to the federal government’s decisive action, New World screwworm cases have fallen significantly over the past year,” said Congressman Biggs. “Arizona is leading the way in prevention efforts, and I am grateful that this administration answered my call for assistance. I know how hard our state’s ranchers and farmers work for America’s economy and supply chain, which is why I’m doing all I can to protect their cattle.”

In May 2025, the Douglas Port of Entry ceased cattle imports from Mexico because of the New World screwworm. The USDA has confirmed 43 domestic cases of the New World screwworm in the United States since June 3 – 42 of which have occurred in Texas. Thanks to decisive action from the federal government since June’s outbreak, transmission, and active cases have dropped significantly.

Read Congressman Biggs’s letter to Secretary Rollins here.

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