BILLINGS, Mont. — R CALF USA is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to delay reopening the southern border to Mexican cattle imports, saying the threat from New World screwworm has not been brought under control.
USDA recently announced plans to begin a phased reopening of livestock imports from Mexico, starting with the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry within 30 days. The agency said additional safeguards would be in place as trade resumes.
R CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard said the organization believes those steps are not enough.
“We appreciate Secretary Rollins’ past commitment to protecting U.S. livestock and recognize the tremendous effort USDA personnel have undertaken in response to the New World screwworm outbreak. However, the secretary’s plan to begin a phased reopening of the border, purportedly with additional safeguards, is premature,” Bullard said.
Bullard noted that New World screwworm continues to spread in Mexico, with more than 34,000 confirmed cases reported since the outbreak began. He said recent detections include cases in Chihuahua, a state USDA has identified as one of the lower risk regions for cattle imports.
He also pointed to confirmed cases in the United States, including dozens in Texas and one in New Mexico, along with additional detections reported in northern Mexico during July.
According to Bullard, USDA’s response has helped reduce the risk of the parasite entering the United States, but he said the danger has not been eliminated.
He added that production of sterile male flies, a key tool used to eradicate New World screwworm, has not yet reached the levels USDA previously indicated would be needed to drive the pest back to its historic containment zone in the Darién Gap.
Bullard also raised concerns about reports of illegal cattle movement through Central America and Mexico, saying animals that bypass official health inspections could increase the risk of spreading the parasite.
“Opening the border to livestock from Mexico will likely further incentivize the south to north movement of cattle within Mexico, which is known to facilitate the northward migration of the pest,” Bullard said.
R CALF USA maintains that the border should remain closed to Mexican cattle imports until Mexico can demonstrate the parasite has been eradicated and the risk to the U.S. cattle industry has been removed.