By Cassandra Garrison TAPACHULA, Mexico (Reuters) -On a scorching afternoon in the rural heartland outside Mexico's southern city of Tapachula near the Guatemala border, rancher Julio Herrera calls his herd back from an afternoon of grazing.

Officials say the screwworm has the potential to devastate the cattle industry, send beef prices soaring and kill wildlife.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the U.S. Agriculture Secretary met on Friday to announce steps to battle an invasive species that is threatening the state’s livestock. Those steps include a federal cash infusion of about $850 million.