As US border set to reopen to Mexican cattle, concerns persist over screwworm spread

MEXICO CITY/WASHINGTON, Aug 24 - Mexico is bolstering its screwworm containment campaign in northern border states where recent cases have been detected, heightening scrutiny of livestock exports as cross-border trade is expected to resume on Monday under a phased U.S. reopening.

Mexican Agriculture Minister Columba Lopez said authorities would reinforce the dispersal of sterile flies in Sonora and Chihuahua, a key eradication strategy aimed at preventing the parasite from reproducing.

The planned phased reopening marks the first easing of a U.S. ban imposed more than a year ago to keep out the flesh-eating pest, with imports set to resume initially through Arizona before expanding to additional ports in New Mexico. The plan has drawn criticism from some U.S. cattle groups and state officials who argue that resuming imports could increase screwworm risks even as the parasite continues to spread in northern Mexico and has already been detected in Texas and New Mexico.