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Mexican border remains closed for now

According to USDA, some of these requirements include, but are not limited to:
    • Proper infrastructure at pre-export inspection facilities (PIFs) and APHIS inspection facilities (AIFs)including cleaning and disinfection
    • PIFs must be evaluated and then inspected and approved by APHIS
    • AIFs must be evaluated and inspected and approved by APHIS with annual re-inspection and approval and interim inspections at APHIS’ discretion. AIF’s must inter a memorandum of understanding with APHIS that outlines the responsibilities regarding screwworm mediation as well as standard requirements
    • PIFs must be separate and distinct facilities from AIFs. If a PIF and AIF are located on the same premise, both must meet requirements outlined in the checklists independently.
    • Initially, cattle imports may only resume at ports with AIFs located on the Mexican side of the border (Nogales, Douglas, Santa Teresa, Columbus, and Presidio), so that any infested animals detected during the inspection process remain in Mexico.
    • Note: Resumption of cattle imports at SBPs where APHIS inspection occurs on the U.S. side (Laredo, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, and Pharr / Hidalgo) will be contingent upon demonstrated effectiveness of the NWS protocol in preventing presentation of wounded and infested cattle at SBPs with inspection on the Mexican side.
    • Cattle will be managed and inspected by export lot. Once NWS protocol activities commence (i.e., initial inspection and treatment), animals may not be added to or removed from a lot without APHIS concurrence.
    • If a given export lot cannot present for APHIS inspection at the scheduled time for any reasontransportation breakdown, unresolved health documentation issues, weather anomalies, etc.-the importer must reschedule the APHIS inspection and restart the NWS protocol. If the animals are already at the Alf, they must be removed within 24 hours.
 

As reported in Tri-State Livestock News, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, on Nov. 22, 2024, suspended imports of animal commodities (including ruminants and horses) after the Mexico chief veterinarian reported the discovery of New World screwworm in Mexico.

The parasite was found in a cow in the southern Mexico state of Chiapas, at an inspection checkpoint close to the border with Guatemala, said the official USDA news release.

New World screwworm are fly larvae that infest living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing infections, according to USDA.



The border remains closed to livestock as of press time.

USDA veterinarian for the region of Texas, Dr. Patricia Collins, said no date has been set to reopen the border to Mexican cattle. “Our trade representatives with USDA are still talking with Mexico to get an approved protocol, but we don’t have a date for resuming imports,” she said.  



Mike Stepien, representing USDA APHIS, also told TSLN that the agency has not established a date to open the border to Mexican cattle. “The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has not established January 20th as a date to resume cattle imports from Mexico. The United States continues to work very closely with Mexico and APHIS will announce when trade resumes,” said Stepien.

See the sidebar for protocols Mexico must meet to reopen the border. The full protocol can be found at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/live-animal-import/cattle-bison-germplasm/mexico, click “live domestic cattle and bison” and then choose “APHIS-SENASICA New World Screwworm Protocol for the Importation of Ruminants from Mexico to the United States

Collins expects horses will likely be approved for importation before cattle because there is a seven- day quarantine rule for horses.

When cattle imports begin again, she expects that only one or two ports will initially re-open, with more to follow.

Collins said that USDA staff inspect all cattle that enter the United States, looking for ticks, along with other pests.

She said currently officials are on high alert for New World screwworm, and have been gearing up for a possible sighting for a while, knowing that the insect has been moving north through Guatemala, Honduras, etc.

“We’ve been watching this in advance and trying to: 1. Help make people aware of what to look for and be prepared to report, 2. Educate people on who to report to, and 3. Determining what our response would be. We are hoping it stays south of the border but we to be ready.

“For sure APHIS and USDA are taking the threat of screw worm very seriously,” she said, pointing out that “it would harm the cattle industry if the insect were to enter the country.”

Low cattle numbers in the U.S., coupled with the border closure, have helped uphold the cash cattle market, providing strong prices for feeder cattle throughout the fall of 2024 and into 2025.

New World Screwworm information from USDA:

New World screwworm (NWS, Cochliomyia hominivorax) is a devastating pest. When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of a living animal, they cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal. NWS can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, occasionally birds, and in rare cases, people.

NWS is endemic in Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and countries in South America, with cases spreading north to Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and now Mexico. Although USDA eradicated NWS from the United States in 1966 using sterile insect technique, there is a constant risk of re-introduction into the United States. To prevent the northward movement of this pest from South America to NWS-free areas in Central and North America, APHIS collaborates with Panama to maintain a barrier zone in eastern Panama. The cornerstone of this collaboration is the Panama-United States Commission for the Eradication and Prevention of Screwworm (COPEG). Through COPEG, we release sterile male screwworm flies in the Darien Province of eastern Panama to create a biological barrier.

The name screwworm refers to the maggots’ feeding behavior as they burrow (screw) into the wound, feeding as they go like a screw being driven into wood. Maggots cause extensive damage by tearing at the hosts’ tissue with sharp mouth hooks. The wound can become larger and deepen as more maggots hatch and feed on living tissue. As a result, NWS can cause serious, often deadly damage to the animal.

Adult screwworm flies are about the size of a common housefly (or slightly larger). They have orange eyes, a metallic blue or green body, and three dark stripes along their backs.

Report mammals and birds with the following signs:

  • Irritated behavior
  • Head shaking
  • The smell of decay
  • Evidence of fly strike
  • Presence of fly larvae (maggots) in wounds

Political pressure exists to reopen the border, including from Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Williams.

In a Dec. 23, 2024, opinion, he said,

Closing the border to livestock or animal products—even temporarily—could send shockwaves through the beef market. Mexico is one of our largest trading partners for cattle and beef, with significant imports of feeder cattle that help keep supply steady here in the U.S. Cutting off that supply could lead to a bottleneck, reducing the number of cattle available to feedlots, processors, and grocery stores. Fewer cattle mean higher beef prices, increasing inflation at the checkout line.

And let’s not forget about our hardworking ranchers. Many 
Texas cattle producers rely on cross-border trade to keep their operations running smoothly. Shutting down the border could disrupt their business, leading to financial strain and fewer options for consumers.

Protecting Texas cattle from screwworms is important, but so is keeping beef prices affordable for families and securing the livelihood of our ranchers. Closing the border might sound like a quick fix, but it’s a cure that could end up being worse than the disease.”

USDA APHIS | Courtesy photo
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