The USDA Fruit Fly Rearing and Release Facility (FFRRF), located at Moore Air Base near Edinburg, Texas, is a critical component of the USDA APHIS Preventive Release Program. Designed by the Jacobs/Huitt-Zollars Joint Venture for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth District, the 120,000-square-foot facility will support the rearing of up to 400 million sterile fruit flies per week—more than doubling current capacity. The facility is essential to the $1 billion+ citrus industry and includes four primary operational zones: Rearing, Irradiation, Eclosion, and Administration.
The 17-acre site includes four aircraft staging areas, extensive process engineering, and 14 robotic machines to handle up to 60 tons of weekly inventory. The design accommodates multiple fly strains and species, and addresses the corrosive environment caused by citric acid diets through advanced ventilation systems. The facility is backed by a 72-hour emergency power system and incorporates LEED Silver sustainable design strategies.
Delivered via a design-bid-build method, the project is split into two phases to align with funding streams: Phase 1 includes site work and three operational modules, while Phase 2 completes the Eclosion and Release module. Site infrastructure includes a 1.25-mile raw water pipeline, parking for 200 vehicles, stormwater detention, and a utility access road. The project underwent a formal value engineering review, achieving a 9% cost savings, with design completion targeted in 12 months and construction over 24 months.
