The United States announced Friday it will begin reopening the border to Mexican cattle imports on Aug. 24, more than a year after it imposed the measure due to the spread of the New World screwworm in Mexico.
In a statement, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said the reopening of cattle imports from Mexico will begin at the Douglas, Arizona border crossing, which borders Agua Prieta in Mexico’s Sonora state.
The statement said the necessary steps will be taken for the subsequent reopening of the Santa Teresa and Columbus border crossings in New Mexico, without specifying dates.
Despite the ban, the screwworm was detected last month in Texas and southeastern New Mexico, where more than 30 cases have been reported to date.
In Mexico, the screwworm outbreak was detected in November 2024 and has spread to 29 of the country’s 32 states. Currently, there are 1,792 active cases, according to official figures.
