Screwworm is basically a type of fly that can cause major damage to cattle, and that's bad news for ranchers and beef prices.

In June, a plan was announced to turn an old air base in Edinburg into a sterile fly production facility. The goal is stopping the screwworm from infecting Texas cattle.

Jackie Ramirez takes to his ranch north of Rio Grande City. Taking care of cattle is part of his family's legacy, but it's a pricey one.

"The cost of even just buying a 500 pound heifer is well over $1,500," Ramirez said.

He tries to keep pest away using a special mixture of molasses. He says certain flies carry a parasite that could kill his cattle.

As previously reported, the new world screwworm was reported less than 400 miles south of the Rio Grande Valley in Mexico.

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