The USDA plans to resume limited cattle imports from Mexico next month, even as the New World screwworm outbreak continues on both sides of the border.
Officials confirmed the Douglas, Arizona, crossing is scheduled to reopen August 24. A spokesperson said in a press release that every animal will be inspected for signs of the parasite, whose larvae feed on living tissue.
This is not a full reopening. Two New Mexico ports have no announced dates, and the agency says trade can be stopped again if Mexico misses disease-control targets or the risk increases.
Federal officials have repeatedly closed and briefly reopened livestock crossings since the pest reached Mexico in late 2024. Cases were confirmed in Texas and New Mexico in June.
North Dakota now requires additional permits for animals arriving from either state.
The reopening could have limited impact on the tight U.S. cattle supply. Mexican imports historically equal about 3% of the domestic calf crop.
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