Mexico and the U.S. are joining forces to fight the spread of the New World Screwworm.

Congressman Henry Cuellar is highlighting a new sterile fly breeding facility in Chiapas, Mexico, as part of that effort.

In the Rio Grande Valley, the USDA broke ground on a sterile fly breeding facility west of Edinburg in April. That facility at Moore Air Base won't be completed until the end of next year.

Cuellar said he believes the pest spread is due to cuts to the USDA's inspection service.

"But back in March of 2025 we could've had a better way to monitor this before it came over to the U.S. because it’s been on our horizon for a while," Rep. Cuellar said.

There are no confirmed screwworm cases in the Valley.

On Friday, the USDA reported one case of screwworm in a cow in Jim Hogg County, just north of Starr County. That case forced the northern part of Starr County to go under quarantine.