Screwworm threat forces US to halt cattle imports from Mex

Monday, May 12, 2025

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said she is suspending imports of livestock through the Mexican border on a "month-by-month basis" to protect U.S. cattle from the threat of a dangerous, flesh-eating parasite infestation. The parasite is the New World Screwworm, or NWS, which is actually a fly and was eradicated in the United States almost 60 years ago.

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... The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement on May 11 that NWS was recently detected in remote Mexican farms within 700 miles of the U.S. border. The statement cited "unacceptable northward advancement of NWS" and said additional action must be taken.

"Due to the threat of New World Screwworm I am announcing the suspension of live cattle, horse and bison imports through U.S. southern border ports of entry effective immediately," Rollins said in a social media post. "The last time this devastating pest invaded America, it took 30 years for our cattle industry to recover. This cannot happen again."

Mexico's agricultural council chief, Luis Fernando Haro, said the ban is unnecessary and "does not solve the problem." He said established protocols already ensure that cattle crossing into the U.S. are "guaranteed to be free of screwworms." Mexican Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegue said he disagreed with the ban but hoped the two countries would reach an agreement soon. ...

#1 | Posted by LampLighter at 2025-05-12 07:29 PM | Reply