Gov. Greg Abbott was joined by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins at the Texas Capitol where Rollins announced the federal government’s plan to spend up to $850 million to prevent the New World screwworm’s arrival in the United States.

Governor Greg Abbott and U.S Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins reveal plans to fight back against threats posed by the New World screwworm.

Rollins announces plan to build a facility in Edinburg, Texas, capable of producing 300 million sterile screw worm flies per week that is estimated to be in production in one year.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New World screwworms are an invasive species that burrow fly larvae into fresh wounds of living animals like livestock, pets and occasionally people. The damage they cause can be deadly. Abbott warned the screwworm has the potential the “crush” the state’s cattle industry.

On Friday, Texas Governor Greg Abbott and U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins publicly addressed “plans to fight back against threats posed by the New World screwworm.”

During Friday's press conference, Gov. Abbott and Sec. Rollins announced a $750 million investment to combat the New World screwworm threat in the state.

Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the big losses in the cattle market on Thursday were tied to concerns ahead of USDA's New World screwworm (NWS) announcement. Grains are bouncing on value and technical buying.

The parasitic fly that attacks warm-blooded animals was eliminated from the United States in the 1960s, but it’s creeping toward the Texas-Mexico border.