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yesterday

U.S. Reopens Douglas Cattle Gate Under Tight Screwworm Controls

A phased protocol of RFID tagging, detector dogs and focused inspections is meant to resume trade while keeping biosecurity under active review.

A rancher unloads calves at the pens of the regional cattle ranchers association ahead of the announced reopening of the U.S. border to Mexican cattle imports, in Hermosillo, Mexico, Monday, Aug. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Fernando Llano)
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Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, center, attends a press conference where a crate of 80,000 sterile New World Screwworm pupae is installed at Chapparosa Ranch on June 11, in La Pryor.
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Overview

  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture reopened the Douglas–Agua Prieta cattle crossing on Monday, Aug. 24, under a phased plan that initially caps shipments at about 700 head per day with planned stepwise increases.
  • The USDA’s border protocol requires radio‑frequency identification ear tags, certified veterinary checks, detector dogs, dipping and specialized scanners, and U.S. officials will perform post‑opening audits to confirm compliance.
  • The parasite remains active: Mexican authorities report roughly 1,900–1,970 active New World screwworm cases and the U.S. has about 44–46 confirmed cases, mostly in Texas, while teams continue sterile‑insect releases and expand lab and production capacity.
  • Texas has issued additional emergency entry rules for Mexican‑origin cattle and officials warn that smuggling, falsified documents and criminal interference in parts of Mexico could undermine border inspections and trigger pauses in reopenings.
  • The restart brings immediate relief to Mexican ranchers and U.S. feeders who lost income during the shutdown, but most imported feeder cattle will need 6–12 months of feeding before they affect slaughter supply or retail beef prices.