Mexico resumes limited cattle exports to US after screwworm pause, relieving ranchers

Mexico has restarted limited shipments of live cattle to the United States following a two-year hiatus imposed by the Trump administration due to a screwworm outbreak. The resumption of trade was welcomed by Mexico's ranching sector, which suffered economically from the restrictions. The screwworm, a flesh-eating pest, has spread across 30 of Mexico's 32 states, including Sonora.

Cattle began crossing the border from Agua Prieta, Mexico, to Douglas, Arizona, with inspections by both countries' authorities, including canine detection. The U.S. approved a new protocol requiring radio-frequency identification tags in the animals' ears and scanners to verify the tags. Daily cattle crossings were initially limited to 700 head, rising to 900 the next week and 1,300 the following week. Mexico currently has 1,937 active screwworm cases.