U.S. to spend $850M fighting screwworm fly that's threatening Texas livestock

The Brief

Texas and the federal government are committing $850 million to combat the new American screwworm fly, a parasitic insect that poses a severe threat to livestock.

The screwworm was mostly eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s, but is now invading from the south and is close to the Texas-Mexico border.

The money will be spent on building a facility near the border to produce 300 million sterile male flies a week, which will be released to reduce the wild population.

DALLAS - 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.

New American Screwworm Fly

What we know:

The average Texan has likely nev