USDA to build screwworm fly factories to protect livestock

What it does

This bill requires the U.S. Department of Agriculture to build and operate one or more facilities to breed sterile New World screwworm flies in areas at risk of infestation, then release those sterile flies to suppress wild populations through mating. The bill authorizes $300 million for construction and operation, requires annual reporting to Congress on threat levels and program effectiveness, and applies a 180-day construction deadline.

Why we flagged it

The bill's core mechanism is straightforward: federal construction and operation of sterile-fly breeding facilities to suppress a livestock and wildlife pest. This is a public-health and agricultural-protection measure, not a subsidy, deregulation, or private carve-out.

What the text implies

• The $300M authorization is open-ended ('remain available until expended'), creating ongoing operational costs beyond initial construction that may require future appropriations or budget reallocation.
• The bill grants USDA discretion to select 'eligible areas' based on infestation risk and dispersal suitability, potentially concentrating facility investment in specific regions and creating political pressure over site selection.
• Annual reporting requirement creates a feedback loop: if the program is deemed ineffective, Congress may demand expansion or redirection of funds, or conversely, may defund it — creating uncertainty for long-term planning.
• The sterile-insect technique depends on continuous breeding and release; any facility shutdown or operational failure could allow wild populations to rebound, making this a long-term commitment with no clear exit point.

Section numbers refer to the bill text the analysis read — linked under Primary records below.

Who it affects

The bill addresses a genuine agricultural and public-health threat (screwworm infestations cause severe livestock and wildlife injury and economic loss) through a proven biological control method (sterile insect technique). Citizens benefit from reduced disease risk, lower agricultural costs, and protection of livestock and wildlife; no direct costs to the public are imposed.

Who stands to gain

• agricultural producers (livestock owners, ranchers)
• construction and engineering firms (facility design and build)
• agricultural equipment and biotechnology suppliers (breeding infrastructure)

Named in the bill

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal Health Protection Act, House Committee on Agriculture, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, New World screwworm fly (Cochliomyia hominivorax)

Where it stands

51 cosponsors: 37 Republicans, 14 Democrats.

• May 14, 2025 — Introduced · Congress.gov: “Introduced in House”
• May 14, 2025 — Referred to House Committee on Agriculture · Congress.gov: “Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture”

Dates and quoted wording are Congress.gov's action record; the timeline shows status changes, not every procedural step.

Money around this bill

2 lobbying clients named this bill on 3 disclosure filings across 2 quarters, Dec 2025 to Jun 2026. Those filings disclosed $120,000 in lobbying spend. A filing names 5 bills on average, so that figure is what each filing reported, not a share belonging to this bill.

More lobbying clients named this bill than 41% of bills with at least one filing.

Tony Gonzales, the sponsor, reported $458,550 in PAC receipts in the 2026 cycle.

• Dallas Safari Club — $100,000 on 2 filings
• New York Farm Bureau Inc — $20,000 on 1 filing

Lobbying Disclosure Act filings through Jul 11, 2026. A filing shows who paid to lobby on a bill it names, not what changed.