Overview

• The United States and Mexico have reached a new agreement on controlling the spread of New World screwworm, a parasite that poses severe risks to livestock, wildlife, and occasionally humans.
• US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins had previously threatened import restrictions if Mexico did not intensify its efforts, citing limited USDA aircraft access and duties on eradication equipment.
• Mexico has committed to strengthening pest control measures starting at its southern border and extending nationwide, as confirmed by President Claudia Sheinbaum.
• The USDA's APHIS is focusing on releasing sterile flies along the US-Mexico border to prevent the parasite's northward spread, shifting resources from the historical barrier in Panama.
• The screwworm outbreak, which began surging in Panama in 2023, has spread through Central America into southern Mexico, raising concerns about its potential to cross into the US.