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.

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.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins today at the Texas State Capitol alongside Governor Greg Abbott and stakeholders from across the country announced the largest initiative yet in the U.S.

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.

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.”

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.

Lina de Florias fills in and covers the top afternoon reports from Houston and beyond for Saturday, Aug. 16, 2025.