USDA announced today a coordinated, phased reopening of southern cattle ports, contingent on Mexico’s adherence to the Joint Action Plan. Beginning Aug. 24, 2026, USDA will open the Douglas, Ariz., port of entry to cattle trade, while simultaneously initiating the operational steps necessary for subsequent openings at the Santa Teresa, N.M., and Columbus, N.M., ports. Every animal entering the U.S. through these ports will undergo a full USDA inspection to ensure it is free of any signs of New World screwworm (NWS).
“Protecting the United States from NWS and pushing this pest out of Mexico and back to the Darien Gap is a top priority at USDA and has the full attention of the Trump administration,” says U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. “The closure of the southern ports of entry for the last year has been a tough but necessary action to control the spread of NWS in Mexico and protect the American livestock industry. Thanks to the work across the federal government as well as state, local, and industry partners, it is now safe to reopen the Douglas, Ariz., port in 30 days to resume the hundreds-year-old movement of cattle.”
For many years, Sonora and Chihuahua have maintained a strong animal health infrastructure program, built on the backs of successful animal disease control measures. While the rest of Mexico has not been able to stop the spread of the screwworm or stop legal and illegal movement, Sonora and Chihuahua do have a track record of success in these spaces, giving USDA confidence that they can do the job.
USDA proposes a phased reopening of southern ports to livestock trade, contingent upon satisfactory progress on priority Action Plan milestones:
- Sonora and Chihuahua are identified as the lowest-risk Mexican states for NWS due to their strong, well-established inspection programs and their geographic distance from southern Mexico, where most cases are concentrated.
- On Aug. 24, 2026, USDA will reopen the Douglas, Ariz., port, which borders Sonora, to livestock trade. The closest active case to the Douglas port is ~325 miles detected on July 22, 2026. After evaluating the success of the initial reopening and potential impacts or risk assessment changes, APHIS will then consider reopening the Santa Teresa and Columbus ports to live cattle, bison and horses.
- The reopening timeline will remain flexible and may be adjusted based on Mexico’s progress in meeting Action Plan milestones and addressing critical issues.
- The opening of ports may be paused if USDA identifies increased risk in Sonora or Chihuahua via post-opening audits or other observations/information.
The U.S.-Mexico border has been closed since July 9, 2025. A temporary phased reopening that began July 7 with the Douglas, Ariz., port was short-lived with a NWS case reported July 8, 370 miles from the border, which was 160 miles northward of the sterile fly dispersal grid at that time.
Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist, says, “Prior to the border closing in November 2024, U.S. imports of Mexican cattle had averaged 1.18 million head annually in the previous decade and 1.12 million head per year in the previous 35 years.”
The Meat Institute released the following statement about the plans to resume imports of Mexican cattle: “USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has provided steady, science-driven leadership by pairing innovative dispersal of sterile flies and significant federal investment to protect the U.S. livestock and poultry industry,” says Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts. “We support a careful, phased reopening of the border that reflects both vigilance and confidence in our response plans.
“Importing cattle from Mexico allows beef packers to better meet consumer demand given the tight supply of US cattle. We will continue to support efforts to retain heifers and expand the herd as the best way to address the high price of beef for consumers.”
