Mexico

How Will U.S. Producers Maintain Business when New World Screwworm Invades?

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:59:32 GMT

With animal disease, prevention and preparation beat panic. Since New World screwworm (NWS) was last eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s, the tools and infrastructure to deal with foreign animal disease have dramatically changed.

Dr. Justin Smith, Kansas animal health commissioner and state veterinarian, during the recent Kansas State University Cattlemen’s Day gave an update on how Kansas and other states are preparing for NWS. The approach is designed to keep producers in business, keep cattle and products moving, and manage NWS in a way that protects both herds and markets.

He says the U.S. animal health officials along with USDA are planning a multistate, coordinated response that aims for consistency across state borders.

Smith summarizes the industry’s preparation to tackle NWS is like a three-legged stool. U.S. producers will be able to maintain business when NWS invades through surveillance, treatment and movement controls.

Surveillance: Eyes on Animals

The first leg of the stool is surveillance. He stresses early detection depends heavily on producers and veterinarians watching animals closely and reporting anything suspicious.

Smith emphasizes they would rather over investigate than miss a case.

“We want to make sure that we err on the side of having to say no on many occasions, versus saying, ‘Yep, this is what we got.’ Eyes on animals is going to be key.”

He was clear this should feel like partnership, not policing.

“They don’t want it to look like Big Brother coming over your shoulder,” he explains. “I hope we want to get this thing quickly.”

Smith explains that once a positive premises is identified, surveillance becomes structured around zones. The infested premises sit at the center, surrounded by an infested zone, an adjacent surveillance zone and a broader fly surveillance area.

The infested zone is 12.4 miles in radius from the infested premises. In this zone, there will be frequent on‑animal checks for wounds and larvae, plus enhanced monitoring in surrounding zones using fly traps and animal observation. The adjacent surveillance zone is another 12.4 miles radius and then there will be a fly surveillance area — an 124-mile radius from the infested premises.

Smith says movements out of the infested zone will require visual inspection for wounds and systemic treatment, including a treatment window of three to 14 days before movement plus a documented certificate of veterinary inspection.

He says the current Kansas response plan aligns with USDA’s playbook and neighboring states’ plans while taking into account specific needs of the Kansas livestock industry.

He stresses the playbook will continue to evolve, and state-by-state implementation may vary, but he says the “zone approach” will be utilized by all states.

Treatment: Limited Tools, Use Strategically

The second leg is treatment. Smith says that after decades without large domestic outbreaks, labeled options are limited.

From the fact that we haven’t had this new tool in our nation, in a large-spread outbreak since the 60s, we don’t have a lot of treatments out there that are labeled for this organism.”

To date, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four products for large animals:

He cautions, “The goal is not to go out there and just habitually treat your animals just in case. We want to make sure that we’re utilizing these [products] responsibly. There’s not an unlimited supply out there, and so we want to make sure that it’s available for us when we do need it.”

On a positive premises, Smith says treatment will be mandatory and systematic.

“There will be a quarantine placed on that premises. We’re also going to require a certain level of treatment on that premises,” he explains.

There will be protocols for daily mortality disposal, so carcasses don’t become breeding sites.

“The last thing you want to do is bury an animal that has larvae and has the ability to advance.”

He says treatment is also tied to movement out of infested zones, with most animals needing prophylactic treatment before leaving.

Movement Controls: Targeted, Not Statewide Shutdowns

The third leg is movement control, designed to be precise rather than broad-brush. Smith stresses NWS is an infestation, not an infection , emphasizing it is not a systemic disease problem, but an infestation that still demands strong controls.

He says there will be movement restrictions if a premises falls into an infested region. To move animals out of that zone, there will be steps to follow but movement will not be completely shut down.

He explains some exceptions exist:

Animals moving directly to slaughter can go without pre‑movement treatment, but those animals have to be hanging on the rail within 72 hours.
Baby dairy calves must be treated but can move right away if treatment and navel care are documented.

He says Kansas is also coordinating with neighboring states to create “synergistic” rules, especially for cattle from higher‑risk states such as Texas. Cattle entering Kansas from recognized infested zones will face inspection, treatment requirements and at least 14 days in drylot containment on arrival.

NWS is Not a Food Safety Issue

Smith reassures producers and consumers that NWS is not a meat safety threat.

“This is not a food safety issue,” he says. “If an animal is presented to slaughter, it has a screwworm wound then it has the ability to be trimmed. That carcass will not be condemned. There are no restrictions on any inspected product for food safety reasons.”

Smith summarizes underpinning all three legs is a commitment to dynamic planning and continuity. He notes a revised USDA playbook is forthcoming and that “plans will be a little bit dynamic” as they learn more.

The core message for producers is clear: watch your cattle, report early, use treatments wisely and expect targeted movement controls — not blanket shutdowns — if NWS crosses the border.

USDA Announces Sterile Fly Production Facility Construction Contract

USDA and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) announced March 9 a construction contract with Mortenson Construction to build a new sterile fly production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas.

This facility is a key component in U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ sweeping 5-prong strategy to fight NWS. USACE is partnering with USDA and will provide oversight for the contract, design, engineering and construction of the facility.

“The Army Corps of Engineers is an essential partner in bringing this facility to life and further highlights the Trump Administration’s government-wide effort to fight the New World Screwworm threat in Mexico,” Rollins says. “The Army Corps is the best in the business and their engineering expertise and proven track record in delivering complex projects will help ensure we can build a modern, resilient facility that protects American agriculture from invasive pests for decades to come. This first-of-its-kind facility on U.S. soil will ensure we are not reliant on other countries for sterile flies.”

A sterile fly production facility is a specialized biosecure complex where NWS flies are raised and sterilized using irradiation and then released into targeted areas.

USDA currently produces about 100 million sterile flies per week at the COPEG facility in Panama and disperses them within and just north of affected areas in Mexico. In addition to the COPEG facility in Panama, USDA invested $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa , which will double NWS production capacity once complete.

With ongoing support from APHIS technical experts, Mexico anticipates sterile fly production will begin at this facility in summer 2026. The new facility at Moore Air Base will be the only U.S.-based sterile fly production facility and will work in tandem with facilities in Panama and Mexico to help eradicate the pest and protect American agriculture.

USDA and USACE will break ground on this new facility later this spring, after initial planning and development meetings with the new contractor. By November 2027, the production facility at Moore Air Base is expected to reach its initial goal of producing 100 million sterile flies per week. After that, construction will continue at the facility to increase production with the long-term goal of producing 300 million sterile flies per week.

New World Screwworm Found in Newborn Calf 197 Miles from U.S.-Mexico Border

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 16:20:11 GMT

On Dec. 27, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) reported a new case of New World screwworm (NWS) in a 6-day-old calf with an umbilical lesion in Llera, located in the state of Tamaulipas, approximately 197 miles from the U.S.-Mexico border.

According to the Texas Animal Health Commission, there have been no other detections in Tamaulipas or any evidence of established fly populations in the area.

To support a swift response if NWS reaches Texas, producers located on the southern border and travelers from NWS-affected areas should closely monitor animals for signs and promptly report suspected cases of NWS.

Read more about how to identify NWS:
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm
Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm

A suspected NWS case requires immediate action, but it all starts with one thing: your call. If you suspect an infestation, report it right away.

The Texas Animal Health Commission recently posted this video explaining the process for producers to take if they suspect a NWS case:

What Are Some Key Concerns if NWS Crosses the Border?

Texas beef producer Donnell Brown says NWS poses a real threat to rural America.

“Fortunately, we made it to winter without a major screwworm infestation in the United States,” he says. However, as temperatures rise this spring and fly season begins again, I am deeply concerned that we could see an outbreak with devastating consequences for livestock and wildlife.”

Read more about NWS and winter:
Winter: The Secret to Slowing the Spread of Screwworm

Brown recalls the previous NWS outbreak in Texas.

“Compared to the last screwworm epidemic I experienced as a child, we now have far more effective parasiticides with extended protection for livestock,” he says. “Unfortunately, we still lack practical ways to treat or protect wildlife. After the screwworms were eradicated in the 1970s, it was 15 years before I remember seeing deer on our ranch. Today, deer are abundant and hunting has become a major economic driver for ranchers and rural communities.”

Read more about NWS treatment and prevention options:

FDA Approves Exzolt Cattle-CA1 for Prevention and Treatment of New World Screwworm
FDA Approves Dectomax-CA1 for Prevention and Treatment of New World Screwworm
New Technology to Combat New World Screwworm

Browns says if NWS cause significant wildlife losses, the ripple effects would be severe.

“Fewer hunters would travel from cities to rural areas, reducing spending on food, fuel, feed, lodging and other local necessities. This would harm rural economies already under pressure,” he explains. “The risk is especially high because fawns and many other wild mammals are born during fly season. Their wet navels become prime targets for screwworm infestation, making the potential impact on wildlife populations both immediate and profound.”

Read more about NWS and wildlife:
The Importance of Wildlife Monitoring for New World Screwworm

Sterile Flies Remain Key to Eradicating New World Screwworm

“The continued detections of New World screwworm near the Texas border are grim reminders of the serious threat this pest poses to our state,” says Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller. “Thanks to the efforts of USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and APHIS working in coordination with Mexico, its northward spread has been halted, and this recent case promises to be a one-off, for now. But to fully eradicate this threat, the bottom line remains unchanged: we need sterile flies. I said as much a year ago when I criticized the Biden Administration’s failed efforts to corral this pest — dollars don’t kill screwworms, sterile flies do.”

Under President Trump’s leadership, Secretary Rollins and the USDA have now committed to a historic, targeted response that will deliver real results.

“Earlier this year, I was proud to stand alongside Secretary Rollins in Edinburg, Texas, as she unveiled her comprehensive five-point plan , and again at the Texas Capitol as that plan was expanded ,” Miller says. “I will continue to support and advocate for federal efforts to expand sterile insect fly production and infrastructure, because this proven strategy is key to the long-term eradication of New World screwworm.”

Current information related to NWS is available on the USDA-APHIS website , including a current situation map and table showing cases within 400 miles of the U.S.

Your Next Reads:
The Battle at the Border
Preparing for the Battle Continues: USDA Shares Screwworm Update and Releases NWS Playbook

Second Screwworm Detection 120 Miles from U.S. Border

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 20:54:05 GMT

There was a new detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico, approximately 120 miles south of the Texas border.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed the case in a 22-month-old bovine transported from Veracruz to a feedlot in Nuevo León.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in a press release emphasized that Texas remains free from detection, but that state officials and agriculture leaders cannot be complacent.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller today issued the following statement after being notified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) of a new detection of the New World screwworm (NWS) in Montemorelos, Nuevo León, Mexico, approximately 120 miles south of the Texas… pic.twitter.com/Wb3uIwW3gf
— Texas Agriculture (@TexasDeptofAg) December 3, 2025

“We will keep working shoulder to shoulder with USDA, Mexican animal health authorities, and our own state agency partners to defend our border and Texans from this dangerous threat. We will protect our livestock, safeguard our economy, and do everything possible to keep the New World screwworm at bay,” Miller says.

He also encourages Texas producers to remain watchful for suspicious wounds, unhealed tissue, or maggot activity in livestock, wildlife, and pets, particularly in locations near the border.

Producers who suspect NWS should immediately contact their local veterinarian and state authorities. Early detection, strict livestock movement controls, screwworm fly suppression and rapid response are the best tools to combat this serious threat.

This detection marks the northernmost active case currently found in Mexico. It is also the second detection at the same Nuevo León feedlot since October. No additional cases were linked to the October detection, and both events appear tied to livestock movements from southern Mexico.

For more on NWS, including a current list of NWS detections within 400 miles of the U.S. visit Screwworm.gov .

Your Next Reads:
Next Step in the Screwworm Fight: USDA Announces Opening of Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility in Tampico, Mexico
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

Next Step in the Screwworm Fight: USDA Announces Opening of Sterile Fly Dispersal Facility in Tampico, Mexico

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 18:38:40 GMT

USDA announced Thursday the opening of a sterile fly dispersal facility in Tampico, Mexico. The Tampico facility will allow USDA to disperse sterile flies aerially across northeastern Mexico, including in Nuevo Leon. This announcement is the next milestone in the fight against New World screwworm (NWS).

“The opening of the Tampico sterile fly dispersal facility is another incredibly important tool in our arsenal to stop the spread of screwworm. The facility will ensure flexibility and responsiveness in northern Mexico, giving us a greater ability to drop sterile flies and continue to push the pest south,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in a press release . “Stopping the spread of screwworm is a top priority for the entire Trump administration.”

Last week Rollins met with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her counterpart Secretary Julio Berdegue on the joint response to NWS.

“We are boosting our efforts and completing a joint review of our screwworm operations in Mexico to ensure our protocols are being followed,” she says. “As we enter the winter months , we continue to prioritize the response in Mexico and the rest of our five-pronged plan to protect U.S. livestock and the livelihoods of American farmers and ranchers.”

A proven method for NWS eradication is releasing sterile male flies to mate with wild females collapsing the population over time. There are two methods of dispersing sterile insects – aerial dispersal and ground release chambers. Aerial operations are preferred because they allow for dispersal at a steady rate through a large area and also because sterile insects may be dispersed in areas that are unreachable from the ground. Ground release chambers are used when there’s a need to quickly deploy sterile insects outside of the dispersal facility range.

Learn more about NWS:
The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

According to the press release, USDA continues to disperse 100 million sterile flies per week in Mexico, but until now, aerial operations have been limited to southern Mexico, necessitating the use of ground release chambers in more northern areas of the country. Mass production and targeted dispersal of sterile flies remain critical components of our effective response.

Although Mexico continues to confirm new cases of NWS, the overwhelming majority of these remain in the far southern part of the country, with no significant northward expansion over the past several months. Should that change, the Tampico facility will allow USDA to immediately tackle any cases that occur elsewhere in Mexico.

The two northernmost detections (approximately 70 and 170 miles from the U.S. border, respectively) occurred in Nuevo León, on Sept. 20 and Oct. 5 , in young cattle transported from Chiapas, Mexico.

Neither case is still active and there have been no additional detections of NWS flies in traps or cases in animals in Nuevo Leon. USDA continues to disperse sterile insects in Nuevo Leon, and will now transition from ground release chambers to aerial dispersal in those areas.

USDA produces sterile flies for dispersal at the COPEG facility in Panama. USDA is also investing $21 million to support Mexico’s renovation of an existing fruit fly facility in Metapa — which will double NWS production capacity once complete. With ongoing support from APHIS technical experts, Mexico anticipates this sterile fly production to begin as soon as summer 2026.

To expand our domestic response capacity, USDA has also begun construction on a sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, that is projected to begin operating in early 2026. APHIS is also expediting design and construction of a sterile fly production facility in southern Texas, with a targeted maximum capacity of 300 million sterile flies per week.

USDA continues to work with Mexico’s agriculture authority, SENASICA, to implement the collaborative NWS Action Plan and guide trapping, surveillance and movement protocols to help stop the northward spread of NWS.

Trade Mission While In Mexico

While Rollins was in Mexico last week, she also led the largest U.S. Department of Agriculture agribusiness trade mission in history. During the mission, 41 U.S. businesses, 33 cooperators and agriculture advocacy groups, six state departments of agriculture, and 150 participants conducted more than 500 business-to-business meetings during the three days.

According to a USDA press release , “This was a critical opportunity for American business to further trade ties and for USDA to continue its aggressive response to NWS in Mexico and continue to hold Mexico accountable for its commitments to the 1944 Water Treaty.”

Honored to lead the largest @USDA Agribusiness Trade Mission in US history to Mexico City!

Over three days, our delegation of 41 US businesses, 33 cooperators, 6 state departments of agriculture, and 150 participants held more than 500 business-to-business meetings - deepening a… pic.twitter.com/39rGi9Snhj
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) November 13, 2025

Your Next Read: Preparing for the Battle Continues: USDA Shares Screwworm Update and Releases NWS Playbook

U.S.-Mexico Border Battle Continues As the Threat of New World Screwworm Intensifies

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 20:04:06 GMT

With New World screwworm (NWS) confirmed just 70 miles from the U.S. border , producers, government officials and industry leaders are taking action. Finding NWS along one of the most heavily trafficked commercial thoroughfares in the world from Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, to Laredo, Texas, is a red flag for the industry. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining strong safeguards, it’s time to plan for not “if but when” NWS crosses the border.

On Monday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins confirmed protecting the U.S. from NWS is non-negotiable and a top priority for President Trump.

UPDATE ON SCREWWORM THREAT:

Protecting the United States from New World Screwworm is non-negotiable and a top priority for @POTUS.@USDA landed boots on the ground this morning in Nuevo Leon, physically inspecting traps and dispersing sterile flies after the detection of the…
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) September 23, 2025

“The southern border remains closed to livestock trade, and we are aggressively expanding trapping and surveillance,” she wrote. “At the same time, we’re expediting operations at our sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in Texas .”

On Tuesday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins reported 80,000 sterile flies were released on “spot” and nearly 200 surge staff had been deployed to Mexico.

Thank you, @IngrahamAngle, for paying attention to this important issue. Due to multiple failures from our southern neighbors and failure to act in the last Admin, the devastating parasite New World Screwworm is knocking on our southern borders door. We’re not waiting, we’re… pic.twitter.com/ZO5Vx5oes8
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) September 24, 2025

Mexico’s Response To New World Screwworm

According to Reuters, Mexican’s agriculture ministry said there is no risk of adult screwworm fly emergence due to the early detection of the infected bovine, which was confirmed on Sept. 21. The infected animal was in a shipment of 100 animals originating from the Gulf Coast state of Veracruz, according to the statement.

Fly traps in northern Mexico have not detected a single screwworm fly.

U.S.-Mexico Border Remains Closed to Cattle Trade

The Mexican border closure remains a topic of debate. The September Ag Economists’ Monthly Monitor found 80% of ag economists surveyed oppose reopening the border to Mexican cattle due to screwworm risks.

(Farm Journal)

The border closure has created significant division within the cattle industry with producers, feeders and industry leaders on both sides of the fence.

“We have some cattle people that are glad it’s closed. We’ve got others who are hit pretty hard and are not happy about it,” explains David Anderson, Texas A&M professor and extension specialist — livestock and food product marketing.

NWS is a threat the industry can not ignore, says the ag economist with more than 30 years under his belt.

“I think this is the most serious problem the industry has faced since I’ve been a livestock economist,” he stresses.

From his perspective, keeping the border open with heightened monitoring and surveillance could have potentially been more effective than implementing a total closure.

“If we go back and look at data from the early ‘70s, when we had a big screwworm outbreak in the U.S. and Mexico, the border was open,” he says. “I probably would have leaned to not closing the border to begin with. I understand why you would want to do that, but I don’t know that it’s ended up reducing the likelihood that we’re going to get screwworms, and yet we’re paying a price for that.”

According to Anderson the economic consequences to the border being closed are:

Significant loss of approximately 26,000 imported cattle weekly
Estimated 18% reduction in cattle placements in Southern plains
Contributed to tighter beef supplies and higher consumer prices
Substantial economic hit to cattle feeders and ranchers

At this point, he’s quick to admit keeping the border closed is the best option.

When it comes to reopening the border, Derrell Peel, Extension livestock marketing specialist with Oklahoma State University, suggests the decision is not straightforward.

“Given everything I’ve experienced, it’s probably prudent to leave the border closed,” he says.

He adds any reopening should be “under very, very controlled, limited circumstances.”

Peel emphasizes the need for a collaborative approach with Mexico.

“We’re kind of in it together, and so whether it’s here or there, we’ve got to work together,” he summarizes. “We’re going to need to control it in both places. Otherwise, it’s not going to benefit either one of us.”

He also points out not everybody in Mexico is sorry the border is closed. For example, cattle buyers in Mexico can source cattle cheaper because the border is closed.

“Keeping the border closed does affect the movement of cattle south of the border ... it builds a backstop for cattle movement north,” he adds.

Peel notes cattle from Central America to Panama have increasingly made their way to the Mexican market, which validates NWS movement in Mexico and why recent confirmation has occurred.

“The longer this goes on, the more the Mexican industry will adjust,” he says. “It might permanently change the way the [U.S. and Mexico] work together.”

Texas Rancher Weighs In On Impact of New World Screwworm

Texas rancher Wayne Cockrell says the parasite’s entry into the U.S. is inevitable, suggesting that winter and colder weather might temporarily delay the spread until next April or May. Cockrell, who serves as the Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association director and chair of the cattle health and well-being policy committee, recently joined AgriTalk to talk about NWS.

“We would much rather stop this on Mexico’s southern border than our Southern border,” Cockrell says.

Mexican feeder cattle traditionally represented 30% of Texas feedyard inventory, he adds, but with current restrictions, feedlots are adapting.

“I think a lot of those feedyards have moved to the dairy-cross side,” he adds. “They have had to change the way they do business.”

Noting the broader economic implications of the border closure, 1.2 million fewer cattle for Texas represents “about two weeks” of impact nationwide, according to Cockrell.

“Winter and sterile flies is what we need now,” Cockrell summarizes.

Your Next Read: The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

New World Screwworm Battle: Texas to Deploy Fly Bait That Mimics Open Wound Scent

Wed, 23 Jul 2025 14:29:55 GMT

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has announced a bold step forward in the battle against New World screwworm (NWS). Working closely with USDA and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is spearheading efforts to reintroduce an improved pest control method to NWS — Swormlure Bait .

“The New World screwworm is not just a Texas problem,” Miller says. “This is a nationwide crisis with potential massive implications for American agriculture, which could result in billions of dollars in economic losses and place a heavy burden on our agriculture, wildlife industries and public health systems. We cannot wait for sterile flies alone to turn the tide. That’s why we’re applying a little cowboy logic and bringing back Swormlure, now with an enhanced formula that’s more powerful and effective than ever.”

The NWS issue has shut down cattle imports from Mexico into the U.S.

The NWS was eradicated from the U.S. in the 1960s but experienced an isolated outbreak in the 1970s. It was ultimately eliminated again through a coordinated response that included the release of sterile flies, deployment of the Swormlure-2 attractant, and application of the insecticide Dichlorvos.

What is Swormlure?

A synthetic bait designed to attract adult screwworm flies, Swormlure may be highly effective when combined with insecticides, such as Dichlorvos, in eradicating NWS. Miller has directed TDA to lead development and deployment of this bait to enhance eradication efforts.

“Swormlure-5, created using modern science and built upon previous versions — Swormlure-2 and Swormlure-4 — is a potent synthetic attractant that mimics the scent of open wounds, drawing adult screwworm flies to the bait, where they die,” Miller explains.

Swormlure-5 bait, when used as an attractant and capture tool, is highly targeted. The attractant only impacts screwworm and blow flies and should pose no threat to beneficial insects such as honeybees, monarch butterflies or other pollinators.

“Today, we’re doing it smarter, faster and stronger. Swarmlure-5 bait will attract and trap flies, specifically screwworm and blow flies, which are both better off dead,” Miller adds. “In prior research and deployment, this method eliminated approximately 90% of the flies within a two-to-four-week period. The remaining 10% were eliminated with the release of sterile male flies in the areas where traps were deployed.”

This effort should reinforce existing sterile fly operations and supercharge early detection and suppression of screwworm fly populations.

This collaboration with USDA and Rollins emphasizes Texas’ leadership in agricultural biosecurity. TDA will coordinate the deployment of specialized Swormlure-5 traps to monitor and control potential hotspots in collaboration with USDA, the Government of Mexico and other state and federal partners.

“We’ve beaten the NWS before, and we’ll do it again. But it will take all hands on deck,” Miller adds. “We need another success story like we had in the ’70s, and I believe Swormlure-5 bait is the game-changer that will get us there.”

Your Next Read: The Smell You’ll Never Forget: A Calf Infested with New World Screwworm

Breaking: Mexican Border Closed Again as New World Screwworm Comes Within 370 Miles of the U.S.

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 13:38:15 GMT

On July 8, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety and Quality reported a new case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz, Mexico, which is approximately 160 miles northward of the current sterile fly dispersal grid on the eastern side of the country and 370 miles south of the U.S./Mexico border.

This new northward detection comes approximately two months after northern detections were reported in Oaxaca and Veracruz, less than 700 miles away from the U.S. border, which triggered the closure of our ports to Mexican cattle, bison and horses on May 11, 2025 .

While USDA announced a risk-based phased port re-opening strategy for cattle, bison and equine from Mexico beginning as early as July 7, 2025 , this newly reported NWS case raises significant concern about the previously information shared by Mexican officials and severely compromises the outlined port reopening schedule of five ports from July 7 to Sept. 15. Therefore, in order to protect American livestock and the U.S. food supply, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has ordered the closure of livestock trade through southern ports of entry effective immediately.

“The United States has promised to be vigilant — and after detecting this new NWS case, we are pausing the planned port reopening’s to further quarantine and target this deadly pest in Mexico. We must see additional progress combatting NWS in Veracruz and other nearby Mexican states in order to reopen livestock ports along the Southern border,” Rollins says. “Thanks to the aggressive monitoring by USDA staff in the U.S. and in Mexico, we have been able to take quick and decisive action to respond to the spread of this deadly pest.”

To ensure the protection of U.S. livestock herds, USDA is holding Mexico accountable by ensuring proactive measures are being taken to maintain a NWS free barrier. This is maintained with stringent animal movement controls, surveillance, trapping and following the proven science to push the NWS barrier south in phases as quickly as possible.

In June, Secretary Rollins launched a 5-point plan to combat NWS by protecting our border at all costs, increasing eradication efforts in Mexico, and increasing readiness. USDA also announced the groundbreaking of a sterile fly dispersal facility in South Texas. This facility will provide a critical contingency capability to disperse sterile flies should a NWS detection be made in the Southern U.S.

Simultaneously, USDA is moving forward with the design process to build a domestic sterile fly production facility to ensure it has the resources to push NWS back to the Darien Gap. USDA is working on these efforts in lockstep with border states – Arizona, New Mexico and Texas – as it will take a coordinated approach with federal, state and local partners to keep this pest at bay and out of the U.S.

USDA will continue to have personnel perform site visits throughout Mexico to ensure the Mexican government has adequate protocols and surveillance in place to combat this pest effectively and efficiently.

Click to enlarge.

(USDA)

Your Next Read: Protect Your Livestock: Signs of New World Screwworm

Breaking News: Mexican Ports to Reopen in Phases for Cattle Trade Starting July 7

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 19:28:22 GMT

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced today a risk-based phased port re-openings for cattle, bison and equine from Mexico beginning as early as July 7.

The announcement is following the extensive collaboration between USDA–Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) experts and their counterparts in Mexico to increase New World screwworm (NWS) surveillance, detection and eradication efforts. The port reopening timeline is:

Douglas, Ariz. – July 7
Columbus, N.M. – July 14
Santa Teresa, N.M. – July 21
Del Rio, Texas – Aug. 18
Laredo, Texas – Sept. 15

After each reopening, USDA will evaluate to ensure no adverse effects arise.

Progress Being Made to Stop Progress of NWS

According to USDA, progress has been made in several critical areas since the ports were closed on May 11 , including:

Resolution of challenges with conducting flights in Mexico that has allowed the team to consistently conduct sterile NWS fly dispersal seven days each week
Dispersal of more than 100 million flies each week
USDA sent five APHIS teams to visit, observe and gain a deeper understanding of Mexico’s NWS response. The APHIS teams were allowed the opportunity to share feedback.

USDA says there has not been a notable increase in reported NWS cases in Mexico, nor any northward movement of NWS over the past eight weeks.

“At USDA we are focused on fighting the New World screwworm’s advancement in Mexico. We have made good progress with our counterparts in Mexico to increase vital pest surveillance efforts and have boosted sterile fly dispersal efforts. These quick actions by the Trump Administration have improved the conditions to allow the phased reopening of select ports on the Southern Border to livestock trade,” Rollins says. “We are continuing our posture of increased vigilance and will not rest until we are sure this devastating pest will not harm American ranchers.”

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) says it supports the plan to strategically reopen key ports of entry.

“NCBA and our state affiliates have spent months working with USDA to safeguard the U.S. cattle industry from the threat of New World screwworm. We strongly support USDA’s five-pronged plan to fight the screwworm, which includes bolstering sterile fly production by renovating a facility in Metapa, Mexico, and by building a new fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in south Texas,” says NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “Today’s announcement to reopen key ports of entry is a measured, thoughtful approach by Secretary Rollins to allow some trade while also ensuring the American cattle industry is protected from this pest.”

While the Douglas, Ariz., port presents the lowest risk based upon the geography of Sonora and a long history of effective collaboration between APHIS and Sonora on animal health issues, USDA intends to reopen additional ports in New Mexico, and if it is proven safe to do so, in Texas, over the coming weeks. Additional port openings will be based on APHIS’ continuous reevaluation of the number of cases and potential northward movement of NWS, Mexico’s continued efforts to curb illegal animal movements, and implementation of further rigorous inspection and treatment protocols.

“We trust Secretary Rollins made this decision with the latest information from USDA staff in Mexico, and we know she will continue holding her counterparts in the Mexican government accountable for eradicating screwworm,” Woodall adds. “NCBA and our state affiliate partners will continue working with USDA and key members of Congress to protect the United States from New World screwworm.”

Continuing Efforts

USDA is working with Mexico’s National Department of Health, Food Safety and Food Quality (SENASICA) on outreach, education and training efforts to raise awareness and put producers on high alert about NWS, along with utilizing their well-functioning central laboratory for diagnosing cases. While Mexico has made great progress on animal movement controls and surveillance, additional progress will help ensure the remaining U.S. ports reopen. Enhanced animal movement controls to stem illegal animal movements from the south, along with robust surveillance and NWS risk mitigations beyond check points will be critical in pushing back NWS. APHIS technical teams continue to engage with SENASICA to improve the overall NWS posture in Mexico and implement the rigorous steps needed to keep this pest away from our border.

Mexico will also begin renovation of its sterile fruit fly facility in Metapa this week, with renovation expected to be completed by July 2026. Renovation of this facility will allow for production of between 60-100 million sterile NWS flies each week. This is a critical step towards reaching the goal of producing the estimated 400-500 million flies each week needed to re-establish the NWS barrier at the Darien Gap.

Only cattle and bison, born and raised in Sonora or Chihuahua, or that are treated according to cattle and bison NWS protocol when entering these states, will be eligible for import. See Importing Live Cattle and Bison From Mexico to the United States for more information on cattle and bison import requirements.

In addition, reopening the Del Rio (Aug. 18) and Colombia Bridge (Sept.15) ports will be contingent on Coahuila and Nuevo Leon adopting the same NWS protocols for cattle and bison as those now required of Sonora and Chihuahua for cattle or bison entering those states.

Equine may import from anywhere in Mexico. They require a seven-day quarantine at the port of entry and must import in accordance with the equine NWS protocol and other requirements detailed on USDA APHIS | Import Horses from Mexico webpage . Approved equine facilities are available at the Santa Teresa, N.M., port and will be available for entry of horses when that port is reopened.

In May 2025, USDA suspended imports of live cattle, bison, and equines from Mexico into the U.S. due to the continued and rapid northward spread of NWS. During the weeks of June 2 and June 16, teams of APHIS experts conducted robust onsite assessments of Mexico’s NWS response efforts to fully reassess the risk of NWS incursions to the U.S. posed by importation of Mexican cattle across our southern border.

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Rollins Rolls Out 5-Point Plan to Contain New World Screwworm

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 19:02:02 GMT

Today Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a five-pronged plan to combat New World screwworm (NWS) – a pest that would devastate ranchers if it made its way across the border.

Rollins made her announcement at the Moore Air Base facility near Edinburg, Texas. Moore was instrumental as a sterile fly production lab to rid the U.S. of NWS in the 1960s and 1970s. Hundreds of millions of flies were reared, sterilized with radiation and dropped from aircraft to eliminate the parasitic pest that preyed upon wildlife and livestock. According to a USDA spokesperson it will cost an estimated $8.5 million to get the base up and running as a distribution facility.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins this morning launched an $8.5 million sterile New World screwworm (NWS) fly dispersal facility in South Texas and announced a plan to enhance USDA’s already robust ability to detect, control, and eliminate this pest.

(U.S. Department of Agriculture)

According to the Texas Wildlife Association , there are currently more than 1,800 cases of livestock infestation in southern Mexico. The flies are moving north and are currently 600 miles from the south Texas border.

“We have defeated the screwworm before, and we will do it again,” Rollins says.

Here in McAllen, TX to announce a BOLD 5-pronged plan to combat the deadly parasite called New World Screwworm – which would devastate ranchers if it made its way across the border.

We are protecting producers, strengthening biosecurity, and ALWAYS standing up for American… pic.twitter.com/VHOlqZyZ9a
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) June 18, 2025

Her five-pronged plan to combat NWS includes:

Stop the pest from spreading in Mexico.
Rollins plans to continue partnering with her Mexican counterparts and using sterile insect technology to stop the spread. This includes investing $21 million to produce up to 100 million additional sterile flies weekly.

“We are first enhancing the international sterile fly production and investing $21 million in renovation of an existing fly facility in southern Mexico, which will provide up to 100 million additional sterile flies every week to stop the spread,” Rollins says.

Currently, the only sterile fly facility is located in Panama. It’s jointly run by the Panamanian government and the U.S. government. USDA had previously announced its plan to invest in the retrofiting of a fruit fly facility in Chiapas, Mexico, to produce additional sterile flies.

According to the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association , “The Chiapas facility produces about 117 million flies per week, but to form an effective barrier along the U.S. southern border, we need upward of 300 million sterile flies per week.”
Protect the U.S. at all costs.
Rollins temporarily closed the southern border to live animal imports and intercepting illegally introduced livestock. USDA is working closely with Mexico to improve surveillance.

“I do believe we have met and moved into a new era of productive partnership —perhaps better than ever before — with our Mexican counterparts,” Rollins says.
Maximize our readiness.
This will be achieved by partnering with state animal health officials to update emergency management plans and stockpile therapeutics for ranchers.
Take the fight to the screwworm.
The domestic fight includes establishing a sterile fly dispersal facility at Moore Air Base. Rollins says they are exploring options for building a domestic production facility at Moore that could produce up to 300 million sterile flies per week.

“We can’t get a brand new facility up and running probably before two or three years. So, that’s why we’ve got to really focus on the today,” Rollins explains.

She also announced USDA will be hosting listening sessions in affected areas starting next week.
Innovate Our Way to Eradication.
Leverage the sound science including USDA’s Agriculture Research Service (ARS) to continue to quickly develop novel treatments, preventatives and response strategies. Rollins says this includes working with land grant universities in Texas, Arizona and New Mexico. She listed these key strategies during the press conference:
- Develop better fly traps and lures
- Provide local training
- Improve surveillance methods
- Create new response strategies

Nearly 80 lawmakers led by House Ag Committee Chair Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-Pa.) sent a bipartisan letter on Tuesday to Rollins urging immediate action and promising congressional support for the significant funding required.

The letter included this message, “When looking solely at the historical impact of NWS in Texas, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) estimates a contemporary outbreak would cost producers $732 million per year and the Texas economy a loss of $1.8 billion. Extrapolating those results to the states within the historic range of NWS pre-eradication, a contemporary outbreak of NWS could cost producers $4.3 billion per year and cause a total economic loss of more than $10.6 billion. This does not account for the possible expansion of NWS beyond the historic range.”

U.S. Congresswoman Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas) was at the announcement and recently shared in a letter to Rollins these key advantages of the Moore Air Base location:

Border proximity: The proximity to the border with Mexico is crucial for effective monitoring and control of potential incursions of invasive fly species. A facility in this region would allow for rapid response and containment, minimizing the spread of infestations into the U.S.
Existing agricultural infrastructure: The region boasts a robust agricultural sector with established infrastructure and expertise in livestock management. This existing framework would facilitate efficient integration of the sterile fly facility and streamline its operations. Additionally, Moore Air Base has operations runways equipped to distribute sterile flies.
Strategic location: Moore Air Base offers a central location for distribution of sterile flies to other areas in the southern U.S., if such a need arises. Additionally, this base was the site of a facility used in the 1960s to successfully combat NWS.
Economic impact: The establishment of such a facility would provide valuable economic opportunities for the region by generating jobs and stimulating local economies.

U.S. Congressman Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) summarized at the announcement, “This is important to the whole country. We are going to be aggressive about this, and we are going to make sure that we don’t get screwed by the screwworm.”

Your Next Read: Urgency in Action: We Must Eradicate New World Screwworm

Urgency in Action: We Must Eradicate New World Screwworm

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 14:53:14 GMT

New World screwworm (NWS) continues to threaten the U.S. cattle industry. The potential impact is devastating — the larvae can kill an animal in just four to seven days if not quickly detected and treated.

Colin Woodall, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO, discussed the hurdles of controlling the spread of NSW on the latest episode of the “Unscripted” podcast .

“We have to eradicate it from here,” Woodall stresses. “We need to eradicate it from Mexico. We need to eradicate it from Central America. We need to push this thing all the way back down to South America.”

The NSW fly and its larvae are flesh-eating parasites that pose a significant threat to warm-blooded animals.

“This is not just a cattle issue,” Woodall says. “This could be dogs. This can be cats. It can get into people. So, anything that is warm blooded could be a host for this flesh-eating parasite.”

Woodall says NSW is approximately 700 miles from the U.S. border, having breached the isthmus of Mexico in the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz, adding that Texas is expected to be the first point of entry if the fly continues to move north.

“We’re going to look at every eradication option possible, because we have to get rid of this thing,” he says. “This is not something that can become endemic to United States. We have to eradicate it from here.”

Woodall says the situation has been complicated by cooperation challenges with Mexico. Earlier attempts to transport sterile flies were hindered by bureaucratic obstacles, with planes unable to land and flies dying before deployment. This led Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to close the border, sending a clear signal to the Mexican government about the need for more serious action.

He explains cooperation has reportedly improved, with USDA teams planning to visit Mexico to assess the current situation. The primary strategy for control involves releasing sterile flies into the wild to disrupt breeding and push the population back southward.

Woodall says NCBA is actively working on several fronts to address the threat:

Pushing for the establishment of a domestic sterile fly production facility.
Exploring genetic engineering technologies for fly control.
Investigating treatment options (such as ivermectin) and helping producers understand how to detect and treat potential infections quickly. Woodall says treatment is possible, explaining ivermectin has proven effective in killing larvae and treating wounds. However, early detection is crucial due to the rapid progression of infection.
Conducting education and awareness campaigns to explain the threat without causing panic. He says misinformation has been a significant challenge. A recent false report about NSW in Missouri caused panic and temporarily impacted cattle prices. He adds that while the threat is serious, it’s not a cause for panic.

“While everybody needs to be aware, they don’t need to panic, and that’s the thing we want everybody to understand,” Woodall summarizes.

NCBA is taking an active role in addressing the threat of NSW through education, technological exploration, government collaboration and a clear commitment to preventing its spread.

Your Next Read: Secretary Rollins Announces $21 Million Investment to Renovate Fruit Fly Production Facility

U.S. Cattle Industry Urges Mexico's Border to Remain Closed Over Spread of New World Screwworm

Tue, 13 May 2025 20:26:20 GMT

New World screwworm (NWS) has been detected in Mexico only 700 miles from the U.S. border. With the impending threat, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) says it’s not a matter of if the U.S. gets the deadly pest — but when.

Mexican officials said Tuesday they won’t close the southern border to cattle from Central America, but the U.S. cattle industry strong supports USDA’s decision over the weekend to suspend cattle, horse and bison imports from Mexico , saying the 15-day suspension will likely be extended due to Mexico’s lack of action so far.

NWS Detected 700 Miles From the U.S.
It’s an issue that started in November. The detection of NWS in Chiapas, which is near the Guatemala border, caused USDA to close the border to cattle imports. While shipments resumed in February, USDA says Mexico isn’t doing enough to eradicate the invasive pest, causing an even greater threat to the U.S. cattle industry. And now NCBA wants the U.S. to ramp up efforts as well.

“When we discovered New World screwworm flies in the southern border of Mexico right before Thanksgiving back in November, at that point in time, USDA provided counsel, they provided some money to help the Mexican government try to stop the incursion of the fly,” Colin Woodall, CEO of NCBA, told AgriTalk’s Chip Flory.

“But unfortunately, because of the ineptitude of the Mexican government, quite frankly, the corruption of the Mexican government, the inability to actually allow the planes that are carrying the sterile males to land and to be able to do their job, they have now come further north,” Woodall says. “And right now we know that New World screwworm flies have been detected just 700 miles south of the U.S. Border.”

Woodall told AgriTalk’s Flory that the pest is now way too close for comfort.

Mexico Won’t Close Mexico/Central America Border
According to Reuters, Mexico’s agriculture minister said on Tuesday it will take a long time to eradicate the pest. While the officials said they won’t close Mexico’s southern border to cattle from Central America, Mexico will tighten the flow of cattle from the south of the country to limit the potential spread of the screwworm.

“We are going to be restricting cattle movement from the south of the country much more tightly,” Mexican Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegue said on Tuesday, adding that “closing the border is a complex issue that needs to be carefully analyzed, because it also impacts the national meat supply.”

MEXICO AGRICULTURE MINISTER:

WILL TAKE A LONG TIME TO ERADICATE SCREWWORM FROM MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA
— PiQ (@PiQSuite) May 13, 2025

Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist, spoke with Drovers about the geography of southern Mexico and how the NWS has been able to move further north.

“Mexico has that narrow point down there at the bottom, the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, then to the east of it is the Yucatan Peninsula. To the west is the rest of Mexico, and that narrow gap is, historically, where we established the boundary way back when,” Peel explains. “When we initially controlled screw worm in the U.S., we pushed it down through Mexico and got it past below that isthmus, and that was the boundary for years. Then we eventually got it down to Panama, but it got away from them. In Panama, it came back up through Central America, and now that’s the reason we closed the border. It’s actually jumped past that isthmus and is into a part of Mexico now where it’s going to be increasingly difficult to contain it, just physically. That’s the concern and the reason for this latest action.”

NCBA Blames Corruption in Mexico’s Government
Woodall told AgriTalk the country has poorly managed the situation so far and was pointed with his words, saying it’s because of the Mexican government’s failures that Rollins stepped up and closed the border on Sunday to “send a very clear signal that they have failed, and they’ve got to step up their approach.”

“We do know that the first meeting to review the ban is in about 15 days, and then it’ll be reviewed on a month-by-month basis,” Woodall said on AgriTalk. “That’s what the secretary has said. But unless they do something miraculous as far as changing the approach that they are taking in trying to address this in Mexico, I doubt that it’ll be lifted in 15 days just because of what we’ve already seen. They’ve had six months to step up here and try to address it, and they’ve fumbled the ball.”

“They’ve had six months to step up here and try to address it, and they’ve fumbled the ball.”

Colin Woodall, Chief Executive Officer, NCBA

The corruption claims are rooted in what the U.S. has experienced over the past several months. As the U.S. has tried to ramp up efforts to help stop the spread, Woodall told Flory that there have been instances where the government wouldn’t allow U.S. planes to fly over impacted areas, or not allow those planes to land.

“Will they allow that without additional hurdles or trying to extort money from these planes?” Woodall says. “Will they be true cooperators in helping us get those sterile flies delivered into the country? And can we show that there is a check in their northern approach? If we can look at some things like that, then we’ll be willing to go back to the table, because as I said, we know that this is an economic impact on us, but it’s also a pest that we do not want here domestically.”

The Risks of NWS If It Enters the U.S.
The risks are high. Not only is the U.S. beef cattle herd the smallest in more than 60 years, NWS can be lethal to other species.

“We have to be prepared, and that’s why I talked about it. We need to make sure producers understand what to look for because if you don’t catch it fast, you’re going to lose that animal,” Woodall says. “Also this is not just a cattle issue; we’re talking all warm-blooded animals. This can be on birds. This can be on hogs. It can be in pets like dogs. And it can be in people. So, this is going to be a significant issue that we have to deal with not just as a cattle industry, but us in agriculture because I think it also could look really bad from an optics standpoint if somebody’s dog gets screwworms and they want to blame us as agriculture for being responsible for it.”

“This is not just a cattle issue; we’re talking all warm-blooded animals. This can be on birds. This can be on hogs. It can be in pets like dogs. And it can be in people.”

Colin Woodall, CEO of NCBA

Woodall says NWS is a nasty parasite. It hasn’t been in the U.S. since the 1960s, but the reason it’s so difficult to manage is it lays larva, and the larva dig into the flesh of the animal, basically eating the flesh.

“That’s how it develops,” Woodall says. “And so, if it’s not treated, within four to seven days, you can lose an animal. This is a significant animal health issue.”

Currently, there’s a sterile fly production facility in Panama. Jointly funded by the U.S. government, the facility produces a little more than 100 million sterile flies a week, according to Woodall.

“Now, when we were dealing with this down in southern Mexico, 100 million were enough to be able to stop it,” he says. “But now that they have gone through that phytosanitary border and are coming north, that’s no longer going to be enough. We do not have enough sterile flies.”

NCBA Is Working with Congress and USDA to Ramp Up Sterile Fly Production Domestically
NCBA is talking to both USDA and Congress about building a sterile fly production facility in the U.S. When NWS was a problem in the U.S. more than 60 years ago, there was a production facility based in Texas.

There is legislation to do just that. The STOP Screwworms Act was introduced by Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX) and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX). It would fund the opening of a new sterile fly facility in the United States, with the legislators saying the bill would help protect both livestock and human health from the New World screwworm.

“One of the things that we’re also talking to the secretary about and also with Congress is how do we have the funding to build a sterile fly production facility here in the United States because that is the only way we’re going to stop these flies, get them out of the United States, out of Mexico, and ultimately push back into South America,” he says.

“One of the things that we’re also talking to the secretary about and also with Congress is do we have the funding to build a sterile fly production facility here in the United States?”

Colin Woodall, CEO, NCBA

He says in the ‘60s, it took more than 400 million sterile flies a week to eradicate the issue.

“We are focused on getting the domestic production up and running as quickly as possible, so is Secretary Rollins,” Woodall says. “She’s doing a tremendous job in leading this effort. This is something that she has taken on personally. And so I have a lot of faith in her and her willingness to help us as an industry push back this pest, eradicate it as quickly as possible and try to get back to normal training.”

Groups like the Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) also support a bill to protect the U.S. from NWS.

“The STOP Screwworms Act is a vital step in protecting the U.S. cattle herd from the growing threat of the New World screwworm. This legislation provides USDA the support needed to construct or retrofit domestic sterile fly production infrastructure which Texas Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association believes is essential in preventing a widespread outbreak,” President Carl Ray Polk Jr. said in a statement. “We are grateful to both Sen. Cornyn and Rep. Gonzales who understand the importance of acting quickly to support cattle raisers and ensuring the threat of the New World screwworm is taken seriously at the highest levels in Washington.”

Read More: U.S. Suspends Mexican Cattle, Horse and Bison Imports Over Screwworm Pest

Mexico Takes Additional Measures to Help Fight New World Screwworm

Thu, 01 May 2025 20:55:30 GMT

USDA has announced that Mexico agreed to additional measures to help fight New World Screwworm (NWS). The U.S. had given Mexico a deadline of April 30 to follow protocols in place or the U.S. would put restrictions on cattle imports.

USDA Secretary Rollins posted on X.com that Mexico has resumed efforts to help fight NWS with the following:

Eliminate restrictions on USDA aircraft
Waive customs duties on eradication equipment
Increase surveillance

(X.com)

Rollins says ports will remain open to livestock imports at this time, however if at any time these terms are not upheld, port closure will be revisited. The secretary had sent a letter to Mexico outlining the expectations for cooperation on the issue.

Protocols had been established in February after the pest was discovered in southern Mexico in November 2024.

“I am happy to share Mexico has continued to partner in emergency efforts to eradicate the New World Screwworm,” Rollins says. “This pest is a devastating threat to both of our economies, and I am pleased to work together with Mexico in good faith to protect the livelihoods of our ranchers and producers who would have been hurt by this pest.”

Rollins reiterated that USDA is working every day to keep pests and disease from harming the agricultural industry.

“I thank our frontline USDA staff and their counterparts in Mexico for their work to ensure the screwworm does not harm our livestock industry,” she adds.

NWS is a deadly parasitic fly that infests warm-blooded animals, causing severe wounds and complications that can lead to death.

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USDA Threatens To Halt Imports If Mexico Doesn't Step Up New World Screwworm Control

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 16:07:25 GMT

President Donald Trump’s administration warned on Saturday it will restrict livestock imports from Mexico if the Mexican government doesn’t intensify its fight against New World Screwworm.

Washington’s threat came in a letter from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that said Mexico had limited one of the companies hired to conduct aerial spraying to eliminate the pest to flying only six days a week and had imposed “burdensome customs duties” on parts needed to keep its planes in the air.

USDA is only giving Mexico until April 30 to follow protocol to stop the spread of the pest and eliminate current restrictions slowing eradication. If not, the U.S. will halt imports of Mexican cattle, bison and equine.

Buck Wehrbein, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, says the threat comes as additional cases of screwworm have been detected in far southern Mexico. At the same time, the sterile insect technique used for eradication has stalled.

“There’s a production facility for the sterile flies to stop this nasty little bug in Panama, so we’re in good shape to do it and things have moved forward, but there’s been some snags now with planes not being allowed to land by the Mexican government and some extra fees and customs,” Wehrbein explains.

He met with senior officials at the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, D.C., last week to press for further action.

“It’s simply a bureaucratic thing that I would think all they have to do is the right person sign the right paper that says you can land these planes,” Wehrbein says.

Mexico’s President said Monday they are strengthening efforts to stop the pest.

Reopening the border to Mexican feeder cattle has been a steady process since the pest was detected last November , yet trade has not fully normalized.

"[Trade is] at about half capacity compared with before,” Wehrbein says. “It’s come a long way and the Mexican government has done a really good job on the border and working with our APHIS people.”

In the 1960s, the U.S. spent million of dollars to eradicate New World Screwworm, but the pest is destructive and could cost producers millions of dollars a year if it reaches the U.S.

USDA Maintains Cattle Imports Amid Second New World Screwworm Case in Mexico

Thu, 20 Feb 2025 14:35:44 GMT

USDA announced it will not impose new restrictions on cattle imports from Mexico despite the latest detection of New World screwworm in a cow from Tabasco state. The decision follows the agency’s implementation of a pre-clearance inspection and treatment protocol, which aims to ensure safe livestock movement and mitigate screwworm risks. This comes after a previous screwworm case prompted Washington to halt Mexican cattle shipments in November, exacerbating already tight U.S. cattle supplies.

On Feb. 1, USDA’s APHIS announced the resumption of cattle and bison imports from Mexico under a new comprehensive protocol. With herd levels at a 74-year low and high beef prices, traders had speculated during Tuesday trading that another import ban might follow, briefly driving up feeder cattle futures.

The new comprehensive protocol includes:

Pre-export inspection pens in San Jeronimo, Chihuahua, and Agua Prieta, Sonora
Multiple veterinary inspections and treatments
Insecticide dipping of approved animals
Final APHIS inspection before crossing at designated ports of entry
The United States and Mexico have been working to approve additional pre-export inspection pens and reopen trade through other ports of entry.

APHIS has allocated $165 million in emergency funding to protect U.S. livestock, pets, and wildlife from the NWS threat. The agency is also collaborating with partners in Mexico and Central America to eradicate the parasite and restore the biological barrier in Panama, including the deployment of sterile flies to control the screwworm population.

Canada, Mexico Hit Back with Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Imports

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 12:39:14 GMT

In response to President Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25% tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods , Canada announced its own 25% tariffs on $155 billion worth of U.S. imports. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum also announced its own retaliatory measures to Trump’s 25% tariffs, but no specifics were unveiled.

Canada Strikes Back
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that the tariffs will roll out in two phases, starting Feb. 4 on $30 bil. targeting American products such as alcohol, produce, household goods, and industrial materials, the same day the American tariffs are set to begin.

The tariffs on the other $125 billion worth of goods will come in 21 days, to allow impacted Canadian companies to adjust their supply chains. Trudeau emphasized that Canada’s response would be “strong but appropriate,” while also considering non-tariff measures like restrictions on critical minerals.

The move has drawn mixed reactions within Canada, with provincial leaders urging strategic countermeasures while ensuring minimal harm to the domestic economy. Meanwhile, the White House justifies the tariffs as a measure against drug trafficking and illegal border crossings, further straining trade relations between the two countries.

American items that Canadians tariffs will be applied to include:

Beer, wine, and bourbon
Fruits and fruit juices including orange juice, as well as vegetables
Perfume, clothing, and shoes
Major consumer products such as household appliances and furniture
Sports equipment
Other materials such as lumber and plastics

The government of Canada says a more detailed list of impacted products will be released soon.

More Tariffs Coming
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said on Jan. 31 that Canada’s retaliatory tariffs would be coming in rounds. “There would be a first round of measures, second round of measures, and a third round of measures,” Joly said at a press conference in Washington. “And we’ll keep ourselves also some leverage.”

When asked if Canada would be shutting off oil exports to the U.S., Trudeau said he will be ensuring Canada’s response will be “equitable” and won’t be damaging to one part of the country more than the others. Energy-rich Alberta has strongly opposed any export tariffs on oil, or for Canada to stop oil exports altogether. Trump said on Jan. 31 that the U.S. tariffs will be lower on Canada’s oil and gas exports, at 10%, while other goods will have a tariff of 25%.

Canada’s trade surplus in merchandise with the U.S. was around $100 billion (US$59 billion) last year, according to a report by TD Bank. If Canadian oil exports to the U.S. are removed from the figure, the “scales tip to America’s favor,” the report says, meaning the United States would have a $60 billion (US$41 billion) trade surplus.

Canada and U.S. Conduct Two-way Trade Worth $1.3T Every Year

According to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, 2.3 million Canadian jobs are supported by exports to the U.S., and 1.4 million American jobs are supported by exports to Canada. A Bank of Canada analysis says that under a mutual 25% tariffs scenario, Canada’s GDP would take a 2.4% hit.

Mexico Announces Plans for Retaliation
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced its own retaliatory measures to Trump’s 25% tariffs, but no specifics were unveiled. Sheinbaum said she had told her economy minister “to implement Plan B” which she said “includes tariff and non-tariff measures” though it was not clear what those measures were exactly.

China Reacts
China’s Ministry of Commerce denounced Trump’s tariffs, saying they undermine “the normal economic and trade cooperation” between the U.S. and China.

The ministry said it would challenge the U.S. action at the World Trade Organization (WTO) and take countermeasures “to firmly safeguard its own rights and interests.” The WTO dispute settlement mechanism has been dysfunctional for years amid U.S. opposition to the appointment of new judges.

Your Next Read:
Trump Officially Signs Three Executive Orders Imposing 25% Tariffs on Canada and Mexico, 10% Tariffs on China

Trump Officially Signs Three Executive Orders Imposing 25% Tariffs on Canada and Mexico, 10% Tariffs on China

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 12:36:35 GMT

Big tariffs, big risks, big impacts: When populism and commercial agriculture collide.

President Donald Trump signed three executive orders for tariffs Saturday, the first time a president has used powers granted under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. The orders also include retaliation clauses that would ramp up tariffs if the countries respond in kind. Trump cut the levy on imports of Canadian energy to 10%.

Trump officially announced plans to impose new tariffs on imports including computer chips, pharmaceuticals (without specifying which, at what level or when it would take effect), steel, aluminum, copper, oil, and gas by mid-February, expanding his administration’s trade war strategy. He said he would put new taxes on imported oil and gas on Feb. 18 and aimed to do the same for steel and aluminum this month or next month. This move is separate from scheduled tariffs — 25% on Canadian and Mexican goods and 10% on Chinese products set for Saturday, Feb. 1 — and aims to pressure Mexico, Canada, and China to address issues such as border security, drug trafficking, and migration.

Here’s the detailed Fact Sheet from the White House .

Of note: Canadian officials were told by U.S. officials on Saturday that the tariffs would be implemented on their goods on Tuesday, according to people familiar with the situation. Senior figures on Capitol Hill were briefed on the decision.

Trump also hinted at additional tariffs on EU products, citing poor treatment of the United States, though details remain vague. The president said he “absolutely” would impose tariffs on their shipments to the United States. “We are treated so badly: They don’t take our cars, they don’t take our farm products; essentially, they don’t take almost anything. And we have a tremendous deficit with the European Union. So, we’ll be doing something very substantial with the European Union,” he said.

Related News: Canada, Mexico Hit Back with Retaliatory Tariffs on U.S. Imports

Big impact. Such levies targeting imports from America’s top three trading partners — which together accounted for more than 41% of the U.S.’ goods trade in the January-November period of 2024 — potentially affect trillions of dollars in merchandise, like cars and farm products.

Trump said there was nothing the three countries could do now to stop the tariffs.

Trump announced general tariffs at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida estate. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said the tariffs would be implemented immediately, but as noted, Canada said tariffs would be implemented on their goods on Tuesday. It typically takes weeks for tariffs to take practical effect.

Key points:

Sector-specific tariffs: New duties will target high-tech and industrial sectors, potentially covering more imports by dollar value than previous tariffs on China. Trump also suggested Friday he’d consider new tariffs on oil and gas, potentially by Feb. 18, though it wasn’t clear what he was referring to.
The duties come on top of existing tariffs on those products. The first Trump administration imposed tariffs on more than $300 billion worth of Chinese goods to respond to an array of unfair trade practices, including intellectual property theft. The Biden administration kept all of them in place and increased rates on $18 billion in goods, including electric vehicles, solar panels, medical equipment, lithium-ion batteries, steel, and aluminum.
A second wave of tariffs could follow a comprehensive review of the trade relationship among the three countries (Canada, Mexico and China) that Trump has ordered completed by April 1.
Exemptions and negotiations: There are ongoing discussions about potential carve-outs for critical industries (like oil and automobiles) amid intense lobbying by U.S. business and labor groups. Some hope for exemptions to mitigate domestic economic risks. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Friday that there was nothing Canada, Mexico and China could do to avoid the tariffs before Saturday. “Not right now,” he said, telling reporters that his tariff threat wasn’t a negotiating tool. “It’s a pure economic [decision],” he said. But he did say he was considering a lower tariff on Canadian crude oil — 10% instead of 25% (and that it was he announced on Saturday). At nearly $100 billion in 2023, imports of crude oil accounted for roughly a quarter of all U.S. imports from Canada, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The tariff on China would be for what Trump said was failing to stop the manufacturing of fentanyl precursor chemicals.

Why a lower tariff on China? Trump’s threats on tariffs are clearly not all bark and no bite, said Wendy Cutler, vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington and a former acting deputy U.S. trade representative in the Obama administration. “He’s clearly in an action-oriented mode and wants to use these tariffs to pressure the three countries to address serious U.S. concerns,” Cutler said. “This is the beginning of the story, this is the first salvo in what’s going to be a long four years,” she said. On why the tariff on Chinese goods will be 10% and not 25%, Cutler said this shows that Trump “may be more interested in seeking a trade deal” with Beijing.

Trump said the Biden administration had not enforced trade deals beneficial to U.S. farmers. During a Friday press conference in the Oval Office, Trump criticized the previous administration’s handling of trade agreements. During his previous term, Trump initiated trade disputes, particularly with China, which significantly impacted U.S. agricultural exports. He stated that China had committed to buying $50 billion a year in farm products, but claimed that former President Joe Biden didn’t enforce this commitment. Trump said, “We’re going to enforce it,” referring to this $50 billion annual purchase agreement with China. His recent statements suggest a continuation of this aggressive stance on trade, framing it as necessary to protect American farmers and correct perceived imbalances left unaddressed by the Biden administration.

· Trump’s team was initially considering a grace period between the announcement of the tariffs on Saturday and when they would be imposed, but White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt played down that possibility on Friday. Leavitt said that a Reuters report stating that the tariffs wouldn’t be implemented until March 1 was “false.”

· Reasons for the tariffs. Trump on Friday said, “We’ll be announcing the tariffs on Canada and Mexico for a number of reasons. Number one is the people that have poured into our country so horribly and so much,” he said about migrants that have entered the United States via its southern and northern borders. “Number two are the drugs, fentanyl and everything else, that have come into the country and number three are the massive subsidies that we’re giving to Canada and to Mexico in the form of [trade] deficits,” Trump said. “I’ll be putting the tariff of 25% on Canada and separately 25% on Mexico and we will really have to do that because we have very big deficits with those countries. Those tariffs may or may not rise with time,” he said.

· International reactions: Leaders from Canada, Mexico, and China are preparing responses. The scale of their responses will depend on whether Trump’s actions match his rhetoric, according to officials in Canada and Mexico.

Canada comments. “You will find when we do respond, at least initially, that we will focus on tariffing American goods that actually are sold in significant quantities in Canada, and especially those for which there are readily available alternatives for Canadians,” Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said in an interview cited by Bloomberg on Friday ( link ), hours after Trump reiterated his plan to bring in tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China.
Of note: Canadian officials were told by U.S. officials on Saturday that the tariffs would be implemented on their goods on Tuesday, according to people familiar with the situation.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned of economic fallout, and Canada even weighed an export tax on oil to undercut Trump’s ability to exclude gasoline price hikes from his tariff fight. Mexican and Canadian officials have expressed frustration that they don’t know what actions would satisfy Trump’s demands, despite weeks of meetings between senior officials. A Canadian contact said Trump “keeps on moving the goal post… If Trump was trying to build anti-American sentiment in a country like Canada (who get mad about little except for hockey), he is executing well.” Trudeau’s government won’t unveil its retaliation list until it sees what the Trump administration moves forward with. After Trump tied tariffs to what he called an “invasion” of migrants and fentanyl, Canadian officials in December unveiled a $900 million border plan, to add helicopters, drones and other surveillance capacity. “Canada’s border is strong and we’re making it stronger,” said Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, speaking to reporters. “When our largest ally raises concerns, we take it seriously.” McGuinty was in Washington Friday to meet with U.S. border czar Tom Homan. Bloomberg reports that Canadian officials come to the discussions armed with documents, charts and even time-lapse videos of certain border crossings. Only 1.5% of migrants apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in the 2024 fiscal year and 0.2% of fentanyl seized at U.S. borders came from Canada.

Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford spoke in anticipation of Trump’s tariffs on Canadian imports, which are set to be implemented on Saturday, calling them “reckless… I wish I had better news to share but Donald Trump couldn’t have had been more clear. He’s moving forward with these reckless tariffs. He’s chosen to tear up decades of good will that has made life better for workers on both sides of the border, for businesses on both sides of the border, for families on both sides of the border,” Ford said at a campaign event in Brampton.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum vowed to counter with retaliatory measures. Sheinbaum said: “We have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, depending on what the government of the United States decides. It’s very important that Mexicans know that we will always defend the dignity of our people, respect for our sovereignty and a dialogue among equals [with the U.S.], not with subordinates.” Sheinbaum noted that Mexico has been open to receiving its citizens sent back under Trump’s plan for mass deportation of unauthorized migrants and that it was prepared to take some from other countries, which represented a concession. Deputy Economy Minister for Trade Luis Rosendo Gutierrez is expected to travel to Washington on Monday, according to reports. But he can’t meet with U.S. trade or Commerce Department officials until they’re formally ratified, they said. Instead, he’ll talk to business leaders and associations. Sheinbaum has also pointed to Foreign Minister Juan Ramon de la Fuente as a key interlocutor to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. High-level teams from Mexico’s foreign ministry and the State Department are in frequent communication working on security and migration, Mexico is the No. 1 trade partner of the United States, and sends 80% of its exports north. Mexico supplies around half of America’s imported fruit and two-thirds of imported vegetables, in dollar terms — tomatoes, berries, bell peppers, cucumbers. And it’s the largest source of imported beer. Mexico also is the No. 1 provider of medical devices to American hospitals and doctor’s offices, from surgical gloves to scalpels. Mexico emerged last year as the top market for American agricultural exports, totaling $30 billion.

· USMCA impact. While the U.S., Canada and Mexico have a standing free-trade agreement, it isn’t clear that the expected tariff action would immediately violate that pact. The U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), like most trade pacts, includes a provision that allows for the imposition of tariffs on national-security grounds.

One of Trump’s tariff goals is to push Canada and Mexico to accelerate a renegotiation of USMCA, now slated for July 2026. President Trump and his supporters believe that imports of cars and steel from Mexico (and China’s involvement in such activity) are weakening U.S. manufacturers. And they say the USMCA, the trade deal Trump signed in 2020 to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, needs to be updated — or perhaps, scrapped.

Of note: According to economists at S&P Global, of the imports coming into the United States from Canada and Mexico, more than 18% of their value was created in the United States, before being sent to those countries. That’s far more than the proportion for other countries, and a sign of how closely the economies are integrated.

One out of three cars sold in Mexico last year came from China. That means Chinese exports are now meeting Mexican demand for cars, rather than exports from the United States, a blow to the U.S. auto industry.

· Economic impact concerns: “I think there could be some temporary, short-term disruption and people will understand that,” Trump said. Trump said the tariffs “will reinvigorate industry. “The way you bring it back to the country is by putting up a wall. And the wall is a tariff wall,” he said. “The tariffs are going to make us very rich and very strong.” He dismissed concerns that placing steep taxes on many foreign goods would lead to renewed inflation in the United States, where prices are still rising faster than the Federal Reserve’s target. “Tariffs don’t cause inflation. They cause success,” the president said.

Although Trump dismissed worries about inflation and supply chain disruptions, critics warn that broad tariff applications could disrupt trade and lead to higher prices for consumers, especially in border regions heavily reliant on imports from North America. Tariff-related price increases would hit consumers’ wallets at a time when beef prices are near record highs and costs for eggs have climbed after bird flu eliminated millions of egg-laying hens. “Any increase in expenses in the form of a tariff subsequently serves as a ‘food tax’ on consumers for imported products and is not a workable solution,” National Grocers Association spokesman David Cutler said.

Tariffs are paid by American importers and borne by consumers, though offset potentially by price reductions abroad. The burden will fall disproportionally on low-income households who spend more of their income on physical goods relative to higher income households who spend more of their income on services and experiences, which aren’t subject to tariffs.

A new analysis from the Budget Lab of Yale estimated that the proposed tariffs could raise annual costs on households by roughly $1,300. Researchers at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington estimate that a 25 percent tariff on all exports from Mexico and Canada would lower U.S. gross domestic product by about $200 billion for the duration of the second Trump administration. A model gauging the economic impact of Trump’s tariff plan from EY Chief Economist Greg Daco suggests it would reduce U.S. growth by 1.5 percentage points this year, throw Canada and Mexico into recession and usher in “stagflation” at home. “We have stressed that steep tariff increases against U.S. trading partners could create a stagflationary shock — a negative economic hit combined with an inflationary impulse — while also triggering financial market volatility,” Daco wrote on Saturday.

Facts and figures: 17% of U.S. goods exports go to Canada, 16% go to Mexico and 7% go to China and totaled $763 billion in the first 11 months of 2024.

Of note: For many items, there is roughly a three-month wait until the tariffs impact consumer prices as retailers sell their existing inventory that are not subject tariffs. Getting a firm impact assessment of tariffs is difficult because some exporters will absorb some of the additional costs, and currency changes by some countries will temper the impacts. There will also mean changes to trade flow patterns as buyers seek alternatives sources and sellers look for other importers.

Mexican Economy Minister Marcelo Ebrard said a 25% duty on Mexican goods would have a multibillion-dollar impact on U.S. consumers, affecting millions of households. “Mexico is the main exporter of finished products like automobiles, computers, TV screens and refrigerators,” he said, adding that tariffs would also raise prices of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat and beer. “This impact will be greater in border states and cities that are big consumers of Mexican goods, like California, Texas, Florida and Arizona,” Ebrard said.

A Wall Street Journal opinion item ( link ) was headlined: The Dumbest Trade War in History; Trump will impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico for no good reason.

House Ag Committee Chairman GT Thompson (R-Pa.): Trump’s tariff policy is a crucial tool. Following the imposition of tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China by the United States, House Ag Chairman GT Thompson issued the following statement: “President Trump’s tariff policy has been an effective tool in leveling the global playing field and ensuring fair trade for American producers. Look no further than Colombia’s about face on accepting repatriated criminal migrants at the mere threat of tariffs. After four years of the Biden/Harris administration’s failure to expand foreign markets, which led to an inflated agricultural trade deficit of $45.5 billion, America’s producers deserve an administration that will fight for them. I look forward to working alongside of President Trump to support our hardworking producers and to make agriculture great again.”

House Ag Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig (D-Minn.) released the following statement ( link ): “No one wins in a trade war. The last time President Trump started a trade war, costs went up for America’s family farmers and consumers. The same will happen today. The cost of imported goods like oil, lumber, avocados, tomatoes, bell peppers, lettuce, broccoli, cucumbers, onions and mushrooms and other fresh food are likely to go up for Americans. At a time when farmers are struggling with high input costs and the American people continue to struggle with the cost of groceries, these tariffs will make it more expensive for farmers to grow food and for consumers to buy it. Additionally, when American farmers face the inevitable retaliatory tariffs from our trading partners, their profits take a hit. This action is especially questionable since President Trump’s previous administration negotiated our last trade agreement – USMCA — with Canada and Mexico.”

Imported goods.

(Bloomberg)

Tariffs coverage. Depending on carve-outs, this round of Trump tariffs could cover more trade in dollar value than his first-term duties on China. Trump’s four tranches of tariffs on Chinese goods in 2018-19 covered imports valued at around $360 billion at the time. New tariffs on Canada and Mexico plus additional tariffs on China would — if all items are subject to the action — cover imports valued at more than $1.3 trillion in 2023. Canada and Mexico combined supplied about 28% of U.S. imports in the first 11 months of 2024, according to Census Bureau data. China accounted for an additional 13.5%.

Price hikes: From Tonka trucks to tequila. While cars and lumber are obvious price hike targets, some unexpected items could see increases, too, according to the Wall Street Journal ( link ):

Cherry tomatoes: Canada and Mexico supply much of the U.S. market.
Tonka trucks: Made exclusively in China, these toys may see a price jump from $29.99 to nearly $40.
Maple syrup: With most commercial production coming from Canada, costs could rise. Canada and the U.S. are the only two countries that produce this at commercial scale, according to Canada’s agriculture department. More than 60% of Canada’s production is exported to the U.S.
Tequila & avocados: Mexico is the top supplier, meaning Super Bowl snacks and drinks could cost more.
Smartphones: Previously spared, they may now be hit with new tariffs.
Sledgehammers: Already taxed at 25%, additional tariffs could push prices even higher.

Securing the U.S. border and dealing with fentanyl are the two major goals of the Trump tariffs. According to Robert Marbut, former homelessness czar for the first Trump administration, fentanyl has killed more Americans in the past five years than all wars combined in the past 100 years. Marbut criticized Canada’s liberal drug policies and Mexico’s unstable regions, where cartels control the drug trade. He said that if the U.S. government is going to tackle fentanyl, it needs to recriminalize drugs domestically, stop China from sending precursors, get the biker gangs in Canada under control, and force Mexico to rein in the cartels. “Fentanyl is a hundred times more powerful than morphine,” he said. “Fentanyl dusts will kill children, fentanyl dusts will kill adults. So just three grains of salt equivalent will kill anybody.”

Tariffs as a revenue raiser. Peter Navarro, a Trump trade adviser, told CNBC on Friday that the tariff effort can replace the revenue of tax cuts. “Tariffs can easily pay for that,” Navarro said. “President Trump wants to move from the world of income taxes and countless IRS agents to the world where tariffs, like in the age of McKinley, will pay for a lot of government that we need to pay for and lower our taxes.” Perspective: The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has put the cost of extending the 2017 tax cuts — Trump’s top legislative priority — at $4.6 trillion over 10 years. A 25% tariff on the more than $900 billion in annual imports from Canada and Mexico would raise roughly $225 billion annually or $2.3 trillion over 10 years if the tariffs had no impacts on trade, which many economists see as unlikely.

Of note: Navarro thinks corn exports haven’t been entirely benign. Navarro said that NAFTA had kick-started America’s illegal immigration problem, because when the United States began exporting corn to Mexico after the trade pact took effect, that put Mexican agricultural workers out of jobs, sending some of them into the United States. “That’s where that began, our illegal immigration problem,” he said.

Tariffs impact on the U.S. ag sector. American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall wrote ( link ) to President Trump Friday urging him to consider U.S. farmers before proceeding with tariff action. “American farmers and ranchers rely heavily on export markets for their business success, especially during these times of economic distress across rural America,” Duvall wrote. A targeted approach to tariffs, with specific exemptions for fuel and fertilizer imports, Duvall added, could “minimize negative repercussions” for farmers. Mexico and Canada account for around a third of all U.S. agriculture exports, buying $30 billion and $29 billion, respectively. China received around $26 billion of ag products last year, Duvall said.

U.S. farmers face rising costs amid proposed Canadian import tariff. The proposed 25% tariff on Canadian imports is expected to have significant repercussions for U.S. farmers, particularly in their access to potash and fertilizers. Key Impacts:

Increased fertilizer costs: U.S. farmers rely on Canada for 85-86% of their potash. The tariff could raise fertilizer prices by $50 to $75 per ton, cutting into profit margins and potentially reducing crop yields.
Short-term supply challenges: With spring planting nearing, farmers may struggle to meet urgent fertilizer needs, as domestic production accounts for less than 10% of U.S. demand. Many farmers have already purchased and applied fertilizer for the 2025 crop season, potentially mitigating immediate impacts, but farmers are unclear as to whether their undelivered fertilizer from Canada will be impacted.
Long-term market shifts: Importers may seek alternative suppliers, and Canadian producers could absorb some costs, but a more significant price increase is expected for the 2026 crop season.
Broader economic consequences: Higher fertilizer costs may lead to rising food prices, strain U.S./Canada agricultural ties, and provoke potential retaliatory trade measures from Canada.

Survey quantifies Canadian farmers’ concern about impact of tariffs, potential trade war. New data from Real Agriculture’s RealAgristudies ( link ) confirms and quantifies the level of concern in Canada’s agriculture sector if the U.S. implements 25% tariffs on Canada on Feb. 1. Farmers who primarily produce livestock are slightly more likely to expect an impact on their farm business than mixed or primarily crop-focused farmers. Interestingly, there wasn’t much difference in how farmers see the potential impact when you compare age, farm size and geography.

Results of a survey of 660 Canadian farmers between Jan. 23 and Jan. 29 showed: 59% of respondents expect the proposed Trump tariffs will negatively impact their business. Only 7% feel there will be no effect. Another 7% don’t know if there will be an impact, while 27% see a possible impact of the Trump tariffs on their farm business.

When it comes to the likelihood of a trade war that significantly decreases Canadian agricultural exports, 29% of respondents feel that scenario is very likely, while 46% say it’s likely; 11% feel a trade war that hurts ag exports is unlikely.

Livestock producers tend to see a trade war as more likely (88%) than mixed (72%) or primarily crop producers (75%).

In terms of how Canada should respond to the tariffs, 34% of respondents said “all of the above” to including export tariffs on key items to the U.S., dollar for dollar retaliation and cutting off certain U.S. imports into Canada; 23% of farmers see an export tariff on key items like potash and energy as the best response as the best singular option.

· Tariff impact support for some industries. Canadian government officials have said that they would consider bailing out businesses and supporting workers who are most affected. Some industries would be swiftly disrupted: Agriculture, automobiles and energy suppliers, pillars of all three economies, would be upended by blanket tariffs.

Tariff aid for U.S. farmers. During her Senate confirmation hearing on Jan. 23, USDA Secretary nominee Brooke Rollins addressed concerns regarding potential tariffs and their impact on U.S. farmers. She acknowledged the possible adverse effects of such tariffs on the agricultural sector and emphasized her preparedness to implement support measures to mitigate these impacts. Rollins stated that she had consulted with former USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue, who oversaw $23 billion in trade aid to farmers during the previous Trump administration, and expressed readiness to execute a similar approach if necessary. She affirmed her commitment to working with the White House to ensure that any negative consequences of tariff implementations on farmers and ranchers are effectively addressed. While acknowledging the potential challenges posed by the proposed tariffs, Rollins conveyed confidence in Trump’s understanding of the agricultural community’s concerns. She described Trump as “the consummate dealmaker” who recognizes the significant support he has received from rural America and the agricultural sector.

U.S. farmers and various trade groups are very apprehensive about not only the potential negative impacts of tariffs on the U.S. ag sector, but what they do to garner new trade agreements, especially as they see China, Brazil, Russia and Ukraine announcing new trade accords or in the process of inking new ones.

Upshot: This latest tariff announcement underscores the escalating tensions in international trade policies and the potential for significant economic consequences if the disputes deepen. The tariff moves will test (1) the limits of Trump’s honeymoon period in his second term in the White House; (2) the U.S. economy and its tentative victory over inflation; (3) American consumers’ appetite to swallow fresh price increases; and (4) the patience of allies. The move against allies Canada and Mexico is a signal that no country is safe from his push to reshape global trade. Big experiment, big impacts, big risks, both economically and politically.

More Action Needed By Mexico Before Reopening Border for Feeder Cattle Imports, Says Vilsack

Sun, 19 Jan 2025 20:54:32 GMT

A letter sent Friday by outgoing USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack to Mexico’s Secretary of Agriculture Julio Antonio Berdeguê acknowledges the progress made in reopening cattle trade between the two countries following the detection of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico, but says more action is needed to resume trade.

Key developments:

Technical collaboration between U.S. and Mexican teams
Full technical agreement on protocol reached on Dec. 12, 2024
Ongoing work to approve pre-export NWS inspection facilities.

Vilsack emphasizes the importance of expediting the approval process for these facilities to resume safe export as soon as possible, citing the significance of trade for a safe and affordable food supply.

The letter also addresses efforts to combat the spread of New World Screwworm:

Emergency funding has been authorized to increase sterile fly production
Production has increased fivefold in the past year
Enhanced regional response through increased dispersal, surveillance, education, and partnerships
Acknowledgment of Mexico’s partnership in sterile fly releases, movement controls, and surveillance
Shared goal to push the pest south to the Darien Gap

Vilsack requests immediate support from Secretary Berdegué for the establishment of two planned sterile fly dispersal centers in Southern Mexico to strengthen current efforts.

The letter maintains a cordial and cooperative tone throughout, emphasizing:

Shared commitments and goals
Acknowledgment of Mexico’s efforts and partnership
Expressions of gratitude for collaboration
Requests for continued support and expedited action

Industry sources say specific testing will take place Monday, Jan. 20, and that and other tests will go a long way in establishing a trade resumption timeline.

NWS Trade Impacts Started in November
As previously reported, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) suspended imports of live cattle and bison from Mexico on Nov. 22, 2024, following the detection of New World screwworm (NWS) along Mexico’s southern border. This pest can have a significant negative impact on cattle health, and U.S. authorities have been working to develop protocols to screen animals coming into the country.

Several factors are influencing the timeline and pace of reopening:

Facility inspections: Both countries have agreed on protocols, but implementation requires facility inspections and approvals.
Quarantine period: A seven-day quarantine after animal checks
Port readiness: The most important port to get moving again is Santa Teresa, New Mexico.

The temporary suspension of cattle imports from Mexico has had notable effects on the U.S. cattle market:

Reduced supply: About 250,000-300,000 fewer head of cattle are estimated to have been imported due to the suspension.
Price support: The trade disruption has been supporting feeder cattle and calf prices in the U.S.

Emergency USDA Funding Available to Protect U.S. Livestock and Animals from New World Screwworm

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 20:16:11 GMT

On Dec. 13, the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced $165 million in emergency funding from the Commodity Credit Corporation to protect U.S. livestock and other animals from New World screwworm (NWS) and to increase USDA’s ongoing efforts to control the spread of NWS in Mexico and Central America. NWS are fly larvae that infest living tissue of warm-blooded animals, causing infection, according to an agency release.

NWS has spreadout throughout Panama and into Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala during the last two years. With the finding of a NWS-positive cow found in Mexico on Nov. 22, APHIS and Mexican authorities have taken additional measures to prevent further spread through surveillance, animal health checkpoints and domestic preparedness. In addition, USDA is working with partners in Mexico and Central America to establish a barrier on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec, eradicate NWS from the affected areas, and reestablish the biological barrier in Panama.

“The current outbreaks in Central America demonstrate the need for USDA to increase its investment in NWS eradication and prevention,” says Jenny Lester Moffitt, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs. “If NWS were to spread to the United States, it would result in significant economic losses and threats to animal health and welfare. This funding will allow for a coordinated emergency response to control the outbreak and prevent NWS from spreading to the United States.”

APHIS asks all producers along the southern border to watch their livestock and pets for signs of NWS and immediately report potential cases to their local veterinarian, State Veterinarian’s Office, or APHIS Veterinary Services.

According to APHIS, eradicating NWS is only possible through sterile insect technique. With this method, sterile flies are released into an area where a known population has become established. The sterile male screwworm fly mates with fertile female screwworm fly, causing the population of screwworm flies to decrease until it eventually dies out.

To learn more about NWS, visit the APHIS website .

Read more: Texas Tech Veterinarian Weighs In On New World Screwworm

New World Screwworm: Latest Update from USDA-APHIS

APHIS Increases Import Restrictions on Animal Products from Mexico on Confirmed Case of New World Screwworm

Texas Tech Veterinarian Weighs In On New World Screwworm

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 17:47:02 GMT

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has heightened import restrictions on animal products from Mexico since detection of New World Screwworm in a Mexican cow on Nov. 22. It has also intensified efforts in Central America to contain the spread of New World screwworm. Animal health experts say it’s warranted as it’s a significant threat to U.S. animal health.

“It can have a huge impact, certainly an economic impact, because it decreases the health and wellness of our livestock,” says Jennifer Koziol, associate professor of food animal medicine and surgery, Texas Tech School of Veterinary Medicine. “We’re thinking about loss of animal use, and certainly thinking about our wildlife populations that could be decimated by this disease.”

The pest can infest any warm-blooded animal, including humans.

“The screwworm fly lies its eggs in an open wound on the animal,” Koziol says. “These larvae or worms just eat the flesh of that animal. It can be devastating to any animal that becomes infected with screwworm.”

Koziol advises producers to monitor herds, especially in the southern U.S., and use preventative measures, including sterile fly introduction or animal health products.

“It looks like Doramectin has about a 28-day efficacy period against this,” she adds. “Ivermectin is similar. We’re looking at those products and how we can use them as an aid in preventing disease.”

According to APHIS, it appears this case is isolated, which leaves the cattle industry asking when will the border restrictions ease for Mexican cattle and product imports.

Koziol says the border could likely open after Christmas or around the first of January.

“We’re working really hard to set up some pre-export pens that APHIS will go in and OK and feeling very good about the protocols set in place,” she adds.

Impact on Cattle Prices
Market analysts say when the border reopens it might hurt cattle prices in the South more than the North.

“They could break a little bit, but I think the reality of the deal is it looks like there’s enough people out there who believe that ownership is the key when it comes to having some cattle around them as tight supplies are very, very tight of yearling-type steers,” says Brad Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek. “That’s going to still put a prop underneath the thing because the cash index is so strong.”

The price impact will likely be short lived.

Read more: New World Screwworm: Latest Update from USDA-APHIS

APHIS Increases Import Restrictions on Animal Products from Mexico on Confirmed Case of New World Screwworm

New World Screwworm: Latest Update from USDA-APHIS

Tue, 26 Nov 2024 14:59:49 GMT

On Nov. 25, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) held a meeting to discuss the U.S. response to the news of a single case of New World Screwworm (NWS) found in a cow in Chiapas, Mexico. U.S. and Mexican officials are working closely together, but the border has been temporarily closed to live cattle imports.

“Our priority is to ensure there is no risk to our domestic industry, followed by the goal of reopening the border as soon as possible,” says Dr. Michael Watson, administrator of USDA’s APHIS.

In September, work had already begun on protocols in the event NWS was found in Mexico. Those protocols have been reviewed with Mexico for their understanding and will be made public once finalized.

Points of Protocol
Dr. Burke Healey, senior leader for policy and operations for APHIS, shared protocol will likely include pre-export inspections by Mexican veterinarians overseen by SENASICA, the equivalent to APHIS, before allowing cattle imports to resume. The inspections will make sure:

appropriate logs accompany animals coming into and leaving the facility
cattle are treated with ivermectin
there’s a seven-day quarantine period

Upon passing inspection, cattle will again be inspected by U.S. officials, along with additional inspections for tuberculosis and ticks. The cattle will be dipped, and then presented to cross the border. Healey says federal inspection sites will focus on ports in Chihuahua and Sonora.

“Those five ports are on the Mexican side, so those inspections and all of that protocol are taking place in Mexico and not on U.S. soil,” he explains.

The ports in Texas will be considered for reopening once the protocol details have been finalized and are working as expected, he adds.

Cristobal Zepeda, regional manager for North America for APHIS, says U.S. and Mexican officials maintain a close working relationship and that communication is key in this situation. Mexico had previously instituted three federal inspection points at strategic locations where cattle come into the country near the border with Guatemala and other areas.

“All animals are downloaded and inspected for wounds visually and through detector dogs,” Zepeda says. “They’re sprayed with an insecticide and receive ivermectin. The system works. That’s how it was picked up.”

Mexico has not completed its investigation but acknowledges the infested cow might have been imported from Guatemala.

While the timeline for reopening trade is tentatively estimated to be at least three weeks, it quite possibly could extend into January as Mexico typically closes ports for two weeks during Christmas and New Year’s, Healey says.

Control the Spread
The discussion also covered the potential impact on the livestock industry, which could be in the billions if NWS reaches the U.S., and the importance of sterile fly production.

The U.S. imports 1 million to 1.1 million cattle from Mexico annually. All Mexican cattle are required to have a Mexican origin ear tag and documentation of the herd of origin, TB test of that herd of origin and a TB test of the specific animals being presented for export. These requirements will remain in place.

Sterile flies from a Panama facility will be sent to Mexico to help control the spread of NWS further south and into Central America. Capacity from that facility is around 95 million per week. Mexico is also looking at retrofitting fruit fly plants to produce about 60 million sterile files a week.

The APHIS website will provide NWS updates .

Be On the Lookout
Adult screwworm flies are about the size of a common housefly (or slightly larger). They have orange eyes, a metallic blue or green body, and three dark stripes along their backs.

If you see mammals and birds with the following signs, report them to your state veterinarian:

Irritated behavior
Head shaking
Smell of decay
Evidence of fly strike
Presence of fly larvae (maggots) in wounds

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APHIS Increases Import Restrictions on Animal Products from Mexico on Confirmed Case of New World Screwworm

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 14:42:29 GMT

On Nov. 22, Mexico’s Chief Veterinary Officer informed USDA about a confirmed case of New World screwworm (NWS) in Chiapas, near the Guatemala border. These fly larvae infest warm-blooded animals, including humans, causing severe infections.

USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has heightened import restrictions on animal products from Mexico and intensified efforts in Central America to contain the pest’s spread. APHIS is collaborating with regional partners, releasing sterile flies and maintaining vigilance along the southern U.S. border.

Producers are urged to inspect livestock and pets for signs of infection, such as wounds or larvae, and report suspected cases promptly. Human infections, though rare, require immediate medical attention.

“Although USDA eradicated NWS from the United States in 1966 using sterile insect technique, there is a constant risk of re-introduction into the United States,” APHIS stated on the agency’s website .

Market Impact:

This will primarily impact feeder cattle imports from Mexico, and feeder cattle prices popped on the news. Mexico ships around 100,000 head a month to the U.S. The trade is seasonable, and we are on the backside of the Fall season. The restrictions are estimated to be in force for at least a month, sources note.

One trade source said, “Feeder cattle supply in the January inventory could show a 1.2 million head reduction. Anything to shorten Mexico supplies is important.”

USDA’s Preventive Measures

APHIS has taken several steps to protect U.S. livestock and wildlife from the New World Screwworm:

• Enhanced import restrictions: Stricter controls have been placed on animal products entering the U.S. from Mexico.
• Increased surveillance: APHIS is likely to have intensified monitoring at border crossings and ports of entry.
• Collaboration with Mexican authorities: USDA is working closely with Mexican officials to address the situation at its source.

Impact on Trade and Travel

The detection of New World Screwworm in Mexico and the subsequent USDA actions may have significant implications:

• Trade disruptions: Importers of Mexican animal products may face delays or restrictions.
• Travel advisories: Travelers returning from Mexico might encounter additional screening measures for pets or animal-derived goods.

Background:

New World Screwworm is a serious veterinary pest that can cause severe damage to livestock and wildlife populations. Its detection in Mexico represents a potential threat to animal health in the region, necessitating swift and coordinated action from agricultural authorities on both sides of the border.

USDA’s proactive approach underscores the importance of international cooperation in preventing the spread of agricultural pests and diseases. As the situation develops, further updates from APHIS and other USDA agencies are expected to guide stakeholders and the public on necessary precautions and compliance with new regulations.