The U.S. government will resume importing Mexican cattle next month, more than a year after the May 2025 suspension due at the time to “the continued and rapid northward spread of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico.”
President Claudia Sheinbaum said the reopening of commerce will begin during the last weeks of August through the Mexican border port of Agua Prieta, Sonora.
🇺🇸 The New World screwworm was eradicated from America in 1966. In 2026, it tried to come back — and we were ready.
That’s why USDA acted before it reached our border—investing over $1 billion, ramping up sterile fly production, and preparing an aggressive response.
Just 60… pic.twitter.com/2St7SV1w4B
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) July 28, 2026
Sheinbaum expressed “great pleasure” to inform the public and especially ranchers of the U.S. decision. “This is great news for Mexican ranchers,” she said in a July 24 social media post. “I recognize the effort they have made for many months to contain the NWS plague.”
Mexico is required to enforce strict internal movement controls and documentary proof of treatment.
In a statement, U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced “a coordinated, phased reopening of southern cattle ports,” while explaining that the action was contingent on Mexico’s adherence to a Joint Action Plan.
The USDA acknowledged that Mexico’s northern border states of Sonora and Chihuahua “have maintained a strong animal health infrastructure program, built on the backs of successful animal disease control measures.”
As Sonora and Chihuahua are the lowest-risk states for the screwworm parasite, the reopening procedures will initially be limited to crossings in these two states.
Beginning Aug. 24, the USDA will allow cattle trade through the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry, while simultaneously taking the steps necessary for subsequent openings at two ports in New Mexico (Santa Teresa and Columbus) and their sister ports on the Mexican side (San Jerónimo, Chihuahua, and Puerto Palomas, Chihuahua, respectively).
Sheinbaum described the successful efforts to reopen the cattle trade as “a new example that dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration with mutual respect between Mexico and the United States yield great results for the benefit of our peoples.”
She thanked Secretary Rollins for her willingness to strengthen bilateral collaboration on health and trade matters, while also singling out Mexico’s Agriculture Ministry, Agriculture Minister Columba López and former Minister Julio Berdegué for praise. López succeeded Berdegué on May 1 of this year.
The easing of cattle crossings is expected to help the U.S. offset low herd counts that in January hit a 75-year low, as well as provide economic relief for ranchers, restore export revenue for Mexico and renew supply chain stability.
With reports from LopezDoriga.com, El Financiero and MarketWatch
