Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced risk-based port reopenings for cattle, bison, and equines from Mexico beginning as early as July 7. USDA – after extensive collaboration between the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service experts and their counterparts in Mexico to increase New World screwworm surveillance, detection, and eradication efforts – is set to begin a phased reopening of the southern ports, starting with Douglas, Arizona.
Progress has been made in several critical areas since the ports were closed on May 11, including the resolution of challenges with conducting flights in Mexico that allowed the USDA team to consistently conduct sterile NWS fly dispersal seven days a week and the dispersal of more than 100 million flies each week.
“We’ve focused on fighting the New World screwworm’s advancement in Mexico,” Rollins said. “We have made good progress with our counterparts in Mexico to increase surveillance efforts and have boosted sterile fly dispersal efforts.”
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association announced support for the plan to strategically reopen key ports of entry to shipments of live cattle, bison, and horses.
“NCBA and our state affiliates have spent months working with USDA to safeguard the U.S. cattle industry from the threat of New World screwworm,” says NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “We strongly support USDA’s five-pronged plan to fight the screwworm, which includes boosting sterile fly production by renovating a facility in Mexico and building a new fly dispersal facility in South Texas.”
NCBA also calls the announcement to reopen key ports of entry a measured, thoughtful approach by the Secretary to allow some trade while also ensuring the American cattle industry is protected from this pest.
“We’ll continue working to protect our livestock producers,” Woodall added.
