The US Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has announced the resumption of cattle and bison imports from Mexico, scheduled to begin in the coming days. The decision follows the implementation of a new protocol aimed at ensuring the safe movement of livestock while preventing the spread of New World Screwworm (NWS).
Imports were halted in November 2024 after NWS was detected in southern Mexico. In response, US and Mexican officials developed a comprehensive inspection and treatment protocol to mitigate the risk. As part of the new procedures, cattle and bison will undergo inspections and treatment for screwworm by authorized veterinarians in Mexico before being moved to pre-export inspection pens in San Jeronimo, Chihuahua, and Agua Prieta, Sonora. APHIS has inspected and approved these facilities.
Once inspected in Mexico, the livestock will undergo final inspection by APHIS before crossing through the Santa Teresa and Douglas Ports of Entry. Additionally, animals will be dipped in a solution to ensure they are free of insects and ticks.
APHIS is working with Mexican and Central American authorities to control and eradicate NWS from affected areas. Over the past two years, the pest has spread across several countries, including Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, and Mexico. This spread has been attributed to several factors, including increased cattle movement, farming activities in previously protected regions, and US sanctions on other American countries.
APHIS has been releasing sterile flies to combat the pest, focusing on Southern Mexico and other strategic locations across Central America. The agency is also working to re-establish the biological barrier in Panama, which has been maintained since 2006 to prevent the spread of NWS.
APHIS continues to monitor and update regions affected by NWS on its Animal Health Status of Regions website.