Mexico resumes livestock sales to US under tight controls over screwworm risk

In Hermosillo, Mexico, rancher Martín Alfonso Ibarra starts his day early, watching over his cattle as they are milked and cared for. The recent end of a yearlong ban on Mexican cattle imports to the United States offers hope for the ranching industry, which has been struggling due to drought and a loss of $1.2 billion in export revenue last year. The ban was imposed to combat the New World screwworm fly, a parasitic threat that has also spread to parts of the United States, including Texas and New Mexico.

With the reopening of livestock imports from Mexico set to begin on August 24 at the Douglas, Arizona border crossing, officials and ranchers are cautious about the new measures aimed at preventing the spread of the screwworm. These restrictions, although necessary, are expected to slow down the shipping process. Despite the ongoing efforts to control the outbreak, Mexico has reported 1,969 active screwworm cases, a significant improvement from the 3,932 cases documented a year earlier. However, eradication remains a long-term goal.