USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced June 30 that the southern border will reopen in phases as early as July 7 to allow cattle, bison and equine imports back in from Mexico. USDA said progress has been made in increasing New World screwworm (NWS) surveillance, detection and eradication.
“We have not seen a notable increase in reported NWS cases in Mexico, nor any northward movement of NWS over the past eight weeks,” USDA said. Additional port openings will be based on reevaluation of the number of NWS cases and potential northward movement.
The planned port reopening timeline is the following: Douglas, AZ, on July 7; Columbus, NM, on July 14; Santa Teresa, NM, on July 21; Del Rio, TX, on Aug. 18; and Laredo, TX, on Sept. 15.
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) applauded the measure, while Ranchers-Cattlemen Action Legal Fund, USA said the border should remain closed until the NWS is eradicated. NCBA CEO Colin Woodall said, “We trust Secretary Rollins made this decision with the latest information from USDA staff in Mexico, and we know she will continue holding her counterparts in the Mexican government accountable for eradicating screwworm.”
