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Flesh-eating parasite disrupts U.S. livestock industry at southern border

By FOX 5 Atlanta Digital Team
Published  May 11, 2025 4:39pm EDT
World
FOX 5 Atlanta
article

CIUDAD JUAREZ , MEXICO - NOVEMBER 27 Cattle are detained in the pens of the Chihuahua Regional Livestock Union , at the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa border crossing in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on November 27, 2024. The United States stops imports of Mexican ca

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The Brief

    • The USDA has suspended live cattle, horse, and bison imports through southern border ports due to the spread of New World Screwworm in Mexico.
    • The suspension will be reviewed monthly, with ongoing collaboration between the U.S. and Mexico to enhance eradication efforts, including surveillance and sterile insect dispersal. There's no particular timeline or anticipated end date.
    • The USDA emphasizes the suspension is focused on protecting the U.S. livestock industry and food supply, not politically motivated, and will lift it once containment is achieved.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced an immediate suspension of live cattle, horse, and bison imports through ports of entry along the southern border.

What we know:

This decision comes in response to the rapid northward spread of the New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico. Detections have come as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, approximately 700 miles from the U.S. border.

The USDA's Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will enforce this suspension on a month-by-month basis until containment is achieved, in collaboration with Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

Livestock currently in holding for entry into the U.S. will undergo standard inspection and treatment procedures.

What we don't know:

It's not clear how long it could take for the suspension to be lifted. It all depends on the effectiveness of containment and eradication efforts in Mexico.

It also remains unclear what economic impact this suspension could have on both U.S. and Mexican livestock industries.

What they're saying:

"The United States has ordered the suspension of livestock imports through ports of entry along our southern border after the continued spread of the New World Screwworm in Mexico. Secretary Berdegué and I have worked closely on the NWS response; however, it is my duty to take all steps within my control to protect the livestock industry in the United States from this devastating pest," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins.

"The protection of our animals and safety of our nation’s food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance," Rollins continued. "Once we see increased surveillance and eradication efforts, and the positive results of those actions, we remain committed to opening the border for livestock trade. This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety."

What's next:

The USDA will continue to collaborate with Mexican authorities, reviewing data and metrics in two weeks to assess the situation. Efforts to eradicate NWS include robust field surveillance, controlled animal movement, and sustained sterile insect dispersal. The USDA is also utilizing Tick Riders to monitor livestock and wildlife along the southern border for NWS presence.

What you can do:

Stakeholders in the livestock industry should stay informed about developments regarding the NWS situation and adhere to any new guidelines or protocols issued by the USDA. Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to participate in educational outreach programs to ensure prevention, treatment, and early detection of NWS.

The Source: The U.S. Department of Agriculture made the announcement about the New World Screwworm and livestock import suspension.

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