Mexico Resumes Live Cattle Exports to US After Two-Year Screwworm Ban
Mexico restarted live cattle exports to the US after a nearly two-year halt caused by a screwworm outbreak, with new inspection and tracing measures in place.
Live cattle exports from Mexico to the United States resumed on Monday, ending a nearly two-year suspension triggered by a screwworm outbreak. The first crossings took place in the afternoon at the border town of Agua Prieta in Sonora, with hundreds of animals moving into Douglas, Arizona, under the watch of Mexican officials.
The resumption follows the approval of a new protocol by US authorities, which includes radio-frequency identification tags in the cattle's ears and scanners at border points to verify the tags. Daily crossing limits have been set at 700 head, rising to 900 next week and 1,300 the following week.
For ranchers, the reopening brings significant relief. Ricardo Ochoa, a livestock producer in the region, described the move as a lifeline for the industry. He noted that during the restrictions, many producers were forced to sell cattle at sharply reduced prices, missing out on record-high US market rates.
"Opening up exports is the salvation of the entire livestock industry," Ochoa said. He added that producers now expect to sell cattle for about 30% more than during the halt, though he cautioned that middlemen could face difficulties if the border closes again.
The screwworm, whose larvae feed on the tissue of warm-blooded animals, arrived in Mexico in November 2024 and has since spread to 30 of the country's 32 states. In the United States, cases were first reported in Texas and New Mexico in June. Mexico currently reports 1,937 active cases.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum highlighted the construction of a sterile fly factory in Chiapas, funded by the US and coordinated with Panama, as a key step in controlling the outbreak. She said the facility is operational and helped make the border reopening possible.
Officials continue to inspect each animal for signs of infestation and are maintaining sterile fly dispersal programs in border states like Sonora and Chihuahua, which are the largest exporters of cattle to the US. The resumption is expected to gradually ease supply pressures in the American market, which is facing its lowest cattle numbers in 75 years and a shortfall of roughly 1.2 million cows.