Key facts
- U.S. imports of Mexican livestock halted due to screwworm outbreak.
- Texas feedlot Lubbock Feeders faces closure from the import halt.
- Mexican beef producers are expanding operations and increasing U.S. exports.
- The closure benefits Mexican producers and harms some U.S. operations.
The U.S. ban on Mexican livestock imports, implemented due to a screwworm infestation, is creating starkly different economic outcomes for cattle producers on either side of the border. Lubbock Feeders, a feedlot in Texas that has been in operation since the 1950s, is now facing the prospect of closure because the halt in imports has cut off its primary supply of cattle. Conversely, Mexican beef producers such as Enrique García are experiencing a boom. They are expanding their operations and capitalizing on the situation by increasing their beef exports to the United States, benefiting from the reduced competition from U.S. sourced cattle.