U.S.– Mexico Cattle Trade Reopens in Phases Starting July 7

June 30, 2025 – After a two-month shutdown triggered by screwworm outbreaks, the USDA has announced a phased reopening of U.S. ports with Mexico for cattle, bison, and equine imports. The reopening plan begins July 7 and will progress through mid-September, pending continued pest control success.

📅 Phased Reopening Timeline

The USDA’s five-step plan begins with low-risk ports and expands based on containment performance. Here’s the schedule:

🦟 Screwworm Eradication Efforts

The phased plan follows major containment milestones, including:

• Mass dispersal of 100+ million sterile screwworm flies per week
• Eight consecutive weeks of halted northward spread
• Enhanced surveillance and border coordination

The USDA also announced a $21 million investment into Mexico’s sterile-fly production facility, and plans to build a second facility in Texas to secure long-term pest management capacity.

🤝 U.S.–Mexico Collaboration

U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins and Mexico’s Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegué praised the bilateral effort, emphasizing shared pest control protocols and inspection standards. Mexico is also implementing stricter livestock movement controls beginning July 7.

📦 Industry Response

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) expressed support for the plan, calling it a “measured, science-based approach” that balances biosecurity with trade continuity.

“NCBA strongly supports USDA’s phased plan. Getting trade moving again is critical, but we have to stay vigilant.”
— Colin Woodall, CEO, NCBA

🧭 What to Watch Next

• Progress reports after each port reopens
• Construction updates on the new Texas fly facility
• Ongoing surveillance of livestock corridors across Mexico