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yesterday

USDA Warns Mexico of Livestock Import Ban Over Screwworm Control Failures

The U.S. has set an April 30 deadline for Mexico to remove operational barriers and waive customs duties critical to combating the rapidly spreading pest.

A drone view shows livestock in pens before being exported to the U.S. through the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa border crossing, as the U.S. allowed Mexican cattle imports to resume after lifting a temporary suspension due to the detection of the New World screwworm, at the Chihuahua Regional Livestock Union facility, outside Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, February 10, 2025. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez/File Photo
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Overview

  • The USDA has threatened to halt imports of live cattle, bison, and equine from Mexico if the country fails to address the New World screwworm crisis by April 30.
  • The New World screwworm, a flesh-eating pest, is advancing from Central America into southern Mexico, posing significant risks to livestock and agriculture.
  • Mexican aviation authorities have restricted sterile fly dispersal operations to six days a week, undermining the urgent pest control campaign.
  • Customs duties imposed by Mexico on sterile flies, aviation parts, and dispersal equipment are delaying critical efforts to stop the pest's spread.
  • USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has proposed an emergency U.S.-Mexico summit and demanded immediate action, including duty waivers and operational clearance, to prevent further escalation.