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USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins today announced risk-based port re-openings for cattle, bison, and equines from Mexico beginning as early as July 7, 2025. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, following extensive collaboration between USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service experts and their counterparts in Mexico to increase New World Screwworm (NWS) surveillance, detection, and eradication efforts, are set to begin a phased reopening of the southern ports starting with Douglas, Arizona.
Progress has been made in several critical areas since the ports were closed on May 11th, including: resolution of challenges with conducting flights in Mexico that has allowed our team to consistently conduct sterile NWS fly dispersal 7 days each week and dispersal of more than 100 million flies each week.
Rollins said USDA not seen a notable increase in reported NWS cases in Mexico, nor any northward movement of NWS over the past eight weeks.
Port Reopening Timeline *After each reopening USDA will evaluate to ensure no adverse effects arise*
- Douglas, AZ – July 7
- Columbus, NM – July 14
- Santa Teresa, NM – July 21
- Del Rio, TX – August 18
- Laredo, TX – September 15
USDA is working with Mexico’s National Department of Health, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) on outreach, education, and training efforts to raise awareness and put producers on high alert about NWS, along with utilizing their well-functioning central laboratory for diagnosing cases.
USDA
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