(NAFB.com) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to invest $25 million in a new sterile fly dispersal facility in Douglas, Arizona, as part of its long-term strategy to combat New World screwworm. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins says the facility will strengthen the nation’s ability to push the pest back into Mexico and ultimately eradicate it from North America. The Arizona facility would complement existing sterile fly investments in Texas, Mexico and Panama. USDA is working with state leaders to determine the facility’s exact location and operational plan. Depending on the selected site and available infrastructure, construction could be completed in as little as several months. The announcement comes after a year of trapping operations near Douglas by USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and Arizona personnel. Nearly 1,000 flies were submitted for analysis, and scientific experts found none were New World screwworm. Officials have also conducted preparedness planning, response training and stakeholder outreach in the region.