Mexico halts most U.S. livestock imports as screwworm expands

 Mexico announced Tuesday that it will suspend most imports of live animals from the United States following confirmed cases in Texas and New Mexico.

According to Reuters, Mexico’s agriculture ministry said the suspension applies to cattle, horses, pigs, sheep, goats, and several other animal species. The decision comes after U.S. officials confirmed five cases of New World screwworm since June 3.

The move represents a significant reversal in livestock trade between the two countries. Just days earlier, the United States had maintained restrictions on livestock imports from Mexico because of the pest’s continued spread south of the border.

Mexico will stop most imports of live animals from the U.S. after cases of the flesh-eating screwworm pest were confirmed in Texas and New Mexico, Reuters reported, citing Mexico’s agriculture ministry.

Mexico said the suspension was implemented in coordination with the United States Department of Agriculture.

The announcement follows recent USDA actions aimed at preventing the spread of New World screwworm into U.S. livestock populations.

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service currently states that “Livestock trade through U.S. ports of entry along the southern border is currently closed due to New World screwworm in Mexico.”

The agency’s import guidance, updated June 4, notes that southern border livestock trade remains restricted while officials work to contain the outbreak.

Mexico has reported more than 28,200 screwworm cases since November 2024. Officials said the latest restrictions are intended to protect cattle herds in the northern Mexican states of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Chihuahua, and Sinaloa, where no confirmed cases have been reported.

Screwworm fears are already reshaping the U.S. cattle feeding industry. Restrictions on Mexican cattle movements have tightened feeder cattle supplies in the United States, particularly in Texas and other Southern Plains states that traditionally rely on Mexican imports.

Prolonged border restrictions have altered cattle procurement strategies, increased uncertainty in feeder cattle markets, and raised concerns about future supplies if screwworm continues advancing northward.

The pest was eradicated from the United States decades ago through sterile insect release programs, but recent detections in Mexico and now confirmed cases in Texas and New Mexico have renewed concerns among animal health officials.

The cattle industry is closely monitoring the situation because both the United States and Mexico are major livestock producers with deeply integrated supply chains.

Any prolonged disruption in cattle, horse, sheep, goat and swine movements could affect feeder cattle availability, market prices, feedlot operations and breeding programs on both sides of the border.

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