The United States announced Friday that it will begin lifting a suspension on Mexican cattle imports on August 24, more than a year after the measure was put in place due to the spread of the New World screwworm in Mexico. The U.S. Department of Agriculture stated that the reopening will commence at the Douglas, Arizona border crossing, which connects to Agua Prieta in Mexico's Sonora state.
Further steps will be taken to reopen the Santa Teresa and Columbus border crossings in New Mexico, though specific dates were not provided. The screwworm, a larva of the Cochliomyia hominivorax fly, affects warm-blooded animals, including humans. Despite the import ban, the parasite was detected last month in Texas and southeastern New Mexico, with over 30 cases reported to date.
In Mexico, the screwworm outbreak began in November 2024 and has since spread to 29 of the country's 32 states, with 1,792 active cases currently documented. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum was informed of the U.S. decision via a letter from U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. Sheinbaum indicated that Mexico will expedite its efforts to resume cattle movement through Sonora and subsequently through Chihuahua.
U.S. authorities stated that the resumption of cattle imports will require compliance with a joint action plan. Imported animals will undergo inspection in the U.S. to prevent the introduction of screwworm larvae. Rollins confirmed that it is now considered safe to reopen the crossing through Arizona. The Mexican livestock sector estimates significant financial losses resulted from the import suspension.