United States Department of Agriculture suspends livestock imports from Mexico due to New World Screwworm spread

Posted: Monday, May 12, 2025. 5:55 pm CST.

Cattle in Belize – Photo Credit: Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security, and Enterprise

By Rubén Morales Iglesias: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has suspended imports of live cattle, horses, and bison through ports of entry along the southern border, effective immediately, in response to the continued northward spread of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico.

The USDA said in a press release on May 11, 2025, that the highly destructive parasitic fly has been detected as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz—nearly 700 miles from the US border—raising concerns over its potential impact on American livestock. Despite ongoing containment efforts between the US and Mexico, the pest’s rapid expansion has prompted USDA’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to implement stricter measures to slow its advance.

“The protection of our animals and safety of our nation’s food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance,” said US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins.

“Once we see increased surveillance and eradication efforts, and the positive results of those actions, we remain committed to opening the border for livestock trade. This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety.”

The import suspension will be reviewed on a month-by-month basis, with USDA continuing collaboration with Mexican authorities. Livestock currently held for entry into the US will undergo thorough inspection and treatment to ensure they are free from NWS.

Belize, the last country in the region to be affected by the infestation, is now facing its own battle against the spread of NWS, with 70 cases reported over the last couple of months. The Belize Agricultural Health Authority (BAHA) has ramped up surveillance and control efforts, including livestock monitoring, to prevent further economic and ecological damage.

The New World Screwworm has been steadily spreading northward through Central America, posing significant threats to both agriculture and food security. The USDA said the US previously eradicated NWS decades ago, but the resurgence of the pest in Mexico has necessitated renewed containment measures across the region.

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