The U.S. Department of Agriculture permitted limited cattle imports from Mexico on Monday, ending a more than one-year ban imposed to contain an outbreak of screwworm, a tissue-devouring parasite. The initial phase of the reopening allows 700 head of cattle per day through the Douglas port in Arizona, with plans to increase to 900 head daily in the second week and eventually reach 1,300 head per day.
The USDA has scheduled the gradual reopening of two additional ports in New Mexico within the next two months: Santa Teresa and Columbus, which will handle cattle, bison, and horses. However, Texas ports will remain closed indefinitely, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who cited the state as the epicenter of the outbreak.
Mexico’s Ministry of Agriculture reported 183 screwworm cases in Chihuahua and two in Sonora since the first detection in July, while U.S. authorities confirmed 46 cases in New Mexico and Texas, with only two still active. The USDA stated that the border reopening is contingent on ongoing risk assessments and that ports may be suspended if conditions in Sonora or Chihuahua deteriorate.
CNOG, Mexico’s livestock federation, estimates that if Chihuahua’s border crossings reopen fully in the fourth quarter of 2026, Mexico could export up to 200,000 head of cattle this year, valued at approximately $420 million. For 2027, the federation projects exports of 1.09 million head, with a market value of about $2.1 billion.
Rollins emphasized that the USDA has implemented "every measure to protect the U.S. herd and consumer," adding that the phased reopening reflects a science-based protocol agreed upon with Mexican authorities. The Douglas port reopened under "complementary security measures" and may be suspended if post-opening audits detect heightened risk in either Mexican state.
