US expects to resume live cattle imports from Mexico as border reopens after screwworm crisis

The United States is anticipating the resumption of live cattle imports from Mexico, signaling a significant step in reopening the southern border after a more than year-long closure. The closure was initially implemented due to concerns over the threat of the screwworm pest.

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We are confident in resuming the import of Mexican live cattle with the progressive reopening of the southern border that had to be closed more than a year ago due to the threat of the screwworm.

Brooke Rollins, the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, expressed confidence in restarting imports, coinciding with the phased reopening of the border. The Arizona port of Douglas was the first to welcome cattle again on August 24, after being sealed for over 14 months. This closure had previously halted the annual transit of approximately 1.4 million head of cattle from Mexico.

To mitigate the impact on the U.S. supply chain, a temporary measure will involve the purchase of 300,000 metric tons of ground beef. Rollins explained this move aims to "cover a gap, a rather large gap, in the supply chain for this product." The U.S. consumes about 13 million metric tons of beef annually and imports between two to three million tons. The compensatory beef purchase is equivalent to between 500,000 and one million head of cattle.

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This measure responds to 'cover a gap, a rather large gap, in the supply chain for this product.'

Mexican officials, including Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo, welcomed the border's reopening for cattle exports. Durazo stated that Sonora has bolstered its sanitary controls to combat the screwworm's spread, emphasizing the state's established reputation for high sanitary standards. The reopening, beginning at the Douglas port, is expected to extend to other border crossings.

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Sonora has reinforced its sanitary capacity against the expansion of the screwworm.