USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is set to resume cattle and bison imports from Mexico in the coming days, following a temporary suspension due to a New World screwworm (NWS) outbreak.
To safeguard U.S. livestock, APHIS halted imports in November 2024 after a positive NWS detection in southern Mexico. After extensive discussions, U.S. and Mexican officials have implemented a rigorous pre-clearance inspection and treatment protocol to ensure safe animal movement and mitigate the NWS threat (link).
Under the new measures, designated pre-export inspection pens in Chihuahua and Sonora have been approved, where cattle and bison will undergo multiple veterinary inspections and insecticide treatment before entering the U.S. through the Santa Teresa and Douglas Ports of Entry. The U.S. and Mexico are also working to expand inspection sites and reopen additional trade routes.
To further prevent NWS spread, APHIS continues to collaborate with partners in Mexico and Central America to eradicate the parasite and restore the biological barrier in Panama. The agency is deploying sterile flies at strategic locations to control the screwworm population. For a full list of affected regions and trade restrictions, visit the USDA APHIS Animal Health Status of Regions website (link).