US Reopens Border with Mexico for Cattle Imports
Published Friday, August 28, 2026
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture moved forward with reopening the southern border to cattle imports from Mexico. This follows an announcement last month in which USDA announced its intentions to lift the pause that has been in effect for more than a year and a half. While the battle against New World screwworm continues, the department said it believes rigorous inspection and treatment protocols combined with ongoing mitigation and eradication efforts will limit new risks into the U.S. There have been three confirmed cases of the pest in the U.S.—all in Texas—since the beginning of August. However, it is worth noting that there are now nearly 200 confirmed cases in Chihuahua, Mexico, and five confirmed and active cases in Sonora, Mexico, which shares nearly its entire border with Arizona. There were only a handful of cases in both Mexican states at the time of USDA’s original announcement, but it appears the elevated case numbers have not dissuaded the department from pausing the phased reopening. For now, a major access port in Douglas, Arizona, serves as the primary entry point into the West.
Staff contact: Matthew Viohl, mviohl@cfbf.com.
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