The Trump administration has placed a temporary ban on importing cattle, horses, and bison through ports along the tropical border in response to the swift spread of Mexican New World Screwworms (NWS).
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the ban on a platform on Sunday.
“Given the threat posed by screw worms, I’m declaring an immediate halt on the importation of live cows, horses, and bison through ports at the tropical border,” she noted. “Our cattle industry took three decades to recover from this devastating pest when it previously invaded America. We can’t let that happen again.”
The USDA clarified that the first instance of NWS from Mexico was reported in the US back in November 2024.
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The concern is that when NWS burrows into the flesh of living animals, it can lead to severe and often lethal injuries, as highlighted by the USDA. NWS maggots can affect pets, livestock, wildlife, birds, and, on rare occasions, human beings.
The USDA indicated that NWS had recently been discovered on a remote farm that does not frequently move cattle, located roughly 700 miles north of the US border.
Both the US and Mexico are collaborating to eliminate NWS before this harmful parasitic fly approaches the southern border.
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The USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and US Customs Border Protection have restricted imports of live animal products coming from or through Mexico.
This suspension will continue on a monthly basis until a “critical window of containment” is reached, according to the USDA.
Livestock currently held for entry into the US will be processed appropriately, with inspections by a port veterinary medical officer to prevent the introduction of NWS.
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“Secretary Berdegué and I have been closely collaborating on this issue, but it’s essential that I take all necessary steps to safeguard the US livestock industry from this serious pest,” Rollins mentioned regarding her coordination with her Mexican counterpart. “The safety of our animals and our food supply are critical national security issues. As we enhance surveillance and eradication efforts, and see positive results, we remain committed to resuming livestock trade. This is not about Mexican politics or retribution.”
The two countries have implemented three strategies to eradicate NWS, which include field surveillance combined with education, ensuring prevention, treatment, and early detection. This strategy also restricts animal movements to minimize the spread of NWS and facilitates the release of sterile insects.
This isn’t the first time there’s been a push to eradicate NWS.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) noted that NWS was eradicated in the US during the 1960s and in Mexico in the 1970s. However, the process involved billions in costs and spanned decades.
