Staff Reports
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is moving to reopen live cattle imports from Mexico at the southern border, starting with the Douglas, Arizona port on August 24, 2026. This phased decision comes after months of emergency work to fight the New World screwworm and follows strict conditions set out in a bilateral Joint Action Plan. For ranchers, markets and border communities, this is welcome news — but it’s not a green light to relax.
Why the USDA is cautiously reopening cattle imports
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins says the closure of southern ports was “tough but necessary,” and that reopening will be risk‑based and reversible. The USDA is insisting on full inspections of every animal entering at the reopened ports and is tying future steps to Mexico’s compliance with the Joint Action Plan. The department also credits expanded sterile‑male fly production, traps along the border, and new response teams for making a cautious reopening possible.
Don’t confuse cautious with careless — risks remain
Let’s be blunt: the New World screwworm is nasty. The larvae eat living tissue. The pest was eradicated from the U.S. decades ago, and recent detections near the border triggered the shutdown. USDA reports roughly four dozen detections since early June, and officials say the phased reopening will be paused if surveillance shows new risk. That’s the right call. We need trade, but we must not import livestock and then import a new outbreak with them.
Mexico must meet the milestones — no excuses
If Mexico wants its cattle market back, it needs to stick to the Joint Action Plan: tight surveillance, movement controls and treatment protocols. U.S. ranchers deserve proof, not promises. Audits, border inspections and clear daily reporting from APHIS should be non‑negotiable. And Washington must keep building sterile‑fly capacity and quick response teams so we have a real buffer, not just polite words on paper.
What ranchers and markets should expect next
Trade will begin slowly at Douglas and then may expand to Santa Teresa and Columbus in New Mexico if conditions hold. Industry groups back a phased approach because it stabilizes supply and helps prices. But producers should watch APHIS’ detections dashboard and demand transparency from officials. If detections tick up, the administration should act fast — and if it hesitates, ranchers should remind them whose livelihood is on the line.
Bottom line: reopening cattle imports is a practical step to restore commerce and ease pressure on ranchers, but it must come with teeth. President Donald J. Trump’s administration and Secretary Rollins deserve credit for a measured plan. Still, the job isn’t done. Keep the inspections strict, keep the sterile‑fly programs funded, and hold Mexico to its commitments. The rest is common sense — and in this fight, common sense will win more than wishful thinking ever will.
