Mexico resumes cattle exports to U.S. after 14-month ban

Mexico has restarted its live cattle exports to the United States, with the first shipment of 750 head leaving from Agua Prieta in Sonora. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development announced the resumption, stating that shipments will gradually increase to 1,500 head per day. This move marks the end of a nearly 14-month restriction that began in November 2024, imposed to contain the spread of the cattle screwworm.

Agriculture Secretary Columba López Gutiérrez highlighted that the reopening is a result of close collaboration between Mexican and U.S. authorities, alongside livestock associations. Mexico is committed to maintaining complete traceability for each animal, from birth through transit to its destination in the U.S. The country will also intensify efforts to combat the screwworm, particularly in Chihuahua and Sonora, through fly dispersion monitoring and security controls within a 200-kilometer radius.

Sonora and Chihuahua were prioritized for resuming exports due to lower sanitary risks. However, the reopening comes shortly after Sonora confirmed its first screwworm case since the November 2024 outbreak. In response, authorities established a 20-kilometer sanitary cordon, released 360,000 sterile flies, and administered preventive treatments to cattle. The pest has now spread to 30 of Mexico's 32 states, with Zacatecas, Puebla, and Oaxaca reporting the highest number of active cases. Cattle crossing into the U.S. will undergo inspections to ensure they are free of the pest.

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Mexico maintained complete traceability of each animal, from its birth and during its transfer until it is placed in U.S. territory.