US Reopens Cattle Trade With Mexico After Screwworm Win

The cattle trucks will roll again this August between Mexico and the United States, marking the end of a 15-month trade freeze that tested the strength of cross-border cooperation.

The U.S. halted Mexican cattle imports in May 2025 when the New World Screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite eradicated from America in 1966, began spreading northward through Mexico. Instead of panic, both nations launched a Joint Action Plan to stop the threat before it reached U.S. soil.

Mexico's northern states of Sonora and Chihuahua led the charge. Ranchers there maintained strict animal health protocols and documented every treatment, proving their herds were safe. Their effort paid off.

Starting August 24, cattle will cross through Douglas, Arizona, with additional ports in New Mexico opening soon after. President Claudia Sheinbaum celebrated the news, calling it "great news for Mexican ranchers" who worked tirelessly for over a year to contain the outbreak.

The U.S. invested over $1 billion in the response, ramping up production of sterile flies that prevent screwworm reproduction and preparing aggressive containment measures. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins acknowledged Mexico's "strong animal health infrastructure program" built on proven disease control success.

The Ripple Effect spreads far beyond two countries' borders. U.S. cattle herds hit a 75-year low in January, driving up beef prices and squeezing ranchers across America. Meanwhile, Mexican ranchers lost a critical export market that supports thousands of families. The reopening restores economic stability on both sides while proving that science-based collaboration beats knee-jerk reactions.

The phased approach keeps safety first. Sonora and Chihuahua earned the first openings because they pose the lowest risk. Other states will follow as they meet strict health requirements, ensuring the screwworm stays contained while commerce flows.

President Sheinbaum praised the partnership as proof that "dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration with mutual respect between Mexico and the United States yield great results for the benefit of our peoples." She thanked both U.S. and Mexican agriculture officials who turned a potential crisis into a model of international teamwork.

When neighbors work together and trust science, everyone wins.