Key facts
- Mexico will increase sterile fly dispersal in Sonora and Chihuahua to combat the New World screwworm.
- The U.S. will begin lifting its ban on Mexican cattle imports on August 24.
- The ban was in place for over a year due to the screwworm parasite.
- The reopening will start at the Douglas, Arizona border crossing.
- The screwworm parasite affects warm-blooded animals, including cattle and humans.
Mexico is intensifying its efforts to control the New World screwworm parasite by increasing the dispersal of sterile flies in the states of Sonora and Chihuahua. This action coincides with the United States' decision to begin a phased reopening of its border to Mexican cattle imports, more than a year after a ban was imposed due to the parasite's spread.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that the border would reopen starting August 24 at the Douglas, Arizona crossing, with subsequent openings planned for New Mexico. The screwworm, a larva of the Cochliomyia hominivorax fly, poses a threat to warm-blooded animals, including cattle and humans. Despite the ban, screwworm cases have been detected in Texas and southeastern New Mexico, while Mexico has reported over 1,700 active cases across 29 states.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum characterized the reopening as a result of "dialogue, cooperation, and collaboration" with the U.S. However, the move has sparked debate within the U.S. cattle industry. Some producers, like Johnny Mestas, express unease about the potential for screwworm reintroduction and increased competition from less expensive Mexican cattle. Bill Bullard, CEO of R-CALF, views the reliance on foreign sources as a threat to national security.
Conversely, Mexican producers anticipate significant financial relief. Alvaro Bustillos, head of the rancher's union in Chihuahua, highlighted the severe economic impact of the trade suspension, including job losses and damage to long-standing business relationships. Despite Sonora, a key state for the reopening, recently reporting its first screwworm case, U.S. authorities indicated they would proceed with the plan, citing the state's high industry standards.