Overview
- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said there is no firm date to resume imports, confirming exports remain halted and four border ports stay closed.
- Rollins acknowledged recent progress after meetings with President Claudia Sheinbaum and Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegué but said more safeguards are required.
- Mexico reports 9,574 cumulative screw-worm cases with 941 active concentrated in the south, has inspected 2.2 million animals, and has released billions of sterile flies as a joint eradication effort.
- Roughly 250,000 head are waiting at the border as industry estimates cite Mexican losses above $837 million and a U.S. beef production shortfall of about 300,000 tonnes with higher prices.
- Authorities on both sides highlight illegal cattle trafficking from Central America as a key risk factor that U.S. officials want addressed in reopening conditions.