McAllen Foreign Trade Zone #12 Joins Strategic $750 Million Biosecurity Project at Moore Air Base

The McAllen Foreign Trade Zone #12 took part in the groundbreaking of a major federal project at Moore Air Base in Edinburg: a new sterile fly production facility led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. While the initiative is tied directly to animal health and agricultural protection, its regional significance also lies in the scale of the investment and the infrastructure being deployed in South Texas. The facility will span 350,000 square feet and represents a $750 million investment.

For the McAllen Foreign Trade Zone #12, participation in this milestone is relevant because the project adds another layer to the region’s profile as a destination for strategic federal infrastructure and large-scale operational investment. Developments of this scale contribute to the broader economic footprint of South Texas, where logistics assets, industrial capacity, and binational connectivity continue to shape long-term growth.

A federal project with regional weight

The ceremony was led by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins and Lieutenant General William H. Graham of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Senator John Cornyn also participated in the event, underscoring the national importance attached to the project.

Once operational, the facility is expected to begin by producing 100 million sterile flies per week, with plans to scale up to 300 million weekly. According to USDA, the site will be the only U.S.-based sterile fly production facility and will work in coordination with existing capacity in Panama and Mexico as part of a broader effort to stop the spread of the New World screwworm.

Infrastructure tied to protection and preparedness

Although the immediate purpose of the facility is agricultural, the investment carries wider implications for South Texas because it places the region at the center of a nationally significant preparedness effort. The New World screwworm has been described by officials as a growing threat near the U.S. border, and the new facility is part of the federal government’s response capacity.

In that context, the project also highlights the kind of infrastructure South Texas is capable of hosting: large, specialized, federally backed operations with long-term strategic value. For organizations such as the McAllen Foreign Trade Zone #12, being part of these milestones helps reinforce the region’s visibility not only in trade and logistics, but also in projects connected to national resilience, investment, and cross-border coordination.