Washington Announces Resumption of Mexican Cattle Imports in August After Screwworm Progress

Washington announced on Friday it will restart border acceptance of Mexican cattle on August 24, over a year after pausing trade due to the spread of New World screwworm across Mexico.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the resumption will initially take place at the Douglas, Arizona border crossing adjacent to Agua Prieta in Sonora, Mexico.

Further steps will be taken to reopen the Santa Teresa and Columbus crossings in New Mexico, though specific dates have not yet been provided.

Despite the prolonged import suspension, the screwworm parasite was detected last month in Texas and southeastern New Mexico, where more than 30 cases have been reported to date.

In Mexico, the outbreak was first identified in November 2024 and has since spread to 29 of the nation’s 32 states, with 1,792 active cases currently reported in official figures.

The parasite, which is the larval stage of the Cochliomyia hominivorax fly, can infest warm-blooded animals, including humans.

U.S. authorities stated that Mexican cattle imports must comply with a joint action plan and will undergo inspection upon arrival in the United States to prevent screwworm larvae from entering the country.

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum stated on social media that she received notification of the decision via a letter from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. She added that Mexico will expedite preparations to resume cattle movement through Sonora and subsequently through the border state of Chihuahua, where five recent cases of screwworm have been reported.

Sheinbaum described the measure as an example of “dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration rooted in mutual respect between Mexico and the United States.”

Rollins noted in the U.S. statement that it is now safe to reopen the border crossing through Arizona.

The Mexican livestock sector estimates that the suspension resulted in millions of dollars in financial losses.

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