USDA announces phased reopening of Mexican cattle imports after screwworm closure

Chicago | Reuters—The U.S. Division of Agriculture introduced on Monday a phased reopening of cattle, bison and equine imports from Mexico following a prolonged closure over the damaging pest New World screwworm.

Ports will reopen in phases as early as July 7, starting with Douglas, Arizona, which the USDA mentioned is the bottom danger entry level as a consequence of its location and the “lengthy historical past of efficient collaboration” between officers in Sonora and USDA’s Animal and Plant Well being Inspection Service.

U.S. grains: Soy futures end mixed; corn and wheat sag after USDA reports

Chicago Board of Trade soybean futures ended mixed on Monday, with nearby contracts under pressure after quarterly stocks data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed larger-than-expected supplies as of June 1, analysts said.

Why it issues: The U.S.-Mexico border has been closed to cattle imports since Could 11, additional constricting an already tight cattle provide.

The southern U.S. border was closed to imports of the animals on Could 11 after screwworm, a species of fly that has been eradicated within the U.S. for many years, had been shifting northward in Mexico. Further ports in New Mexico and Texas could also be reopened in coming weeks.

The pest can infest livestock and wildlife and carry maggots that burrow into the pores and skin of dwelling animals, inflicting critical and sometimes deadly harm.

As a part of the nation’s effort to combat screwworm encroachment, the USDA introduced plans on June 18 to open a sterile fly dispersal facility in Texas, and invested $21 million in updating a plant in Mexico to supply sterile flies.

“We have now made good progress with our counterparts in Mexico to extend very important pest surveillance efforts and have boosted sterile fly dispersal efforts,” USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins mentioned in a launch.

“We’re persevering with our posture of elevated vigilance and won’t relaxation till we’re certain this devastating pest is not going to hurt American ranchers,” she mentioned.

The port in Columbus, New Mexico, could reopen on July 14, adopted by Santa Teresa, New Mexico, on July 21, Del Rio, Texas, on August 18 and Laredo, Texas, on September 15, the USDA mentioned. The company added that it’ll consider situations after every reopening to make sure that the improved management measures are working.