News

Border ranchers say New World screwworm fight remains critical as Mexico cattle trade set to resume

New World screwworm has kept the border closed to cattle trade with Mexico for the better part of 2 years.  

Barbara Jackson, a rancher and feedyard owner outside of Tucson, Arizona says the news that live cattle imports from Mexico would resume August 24^th was welcomed. “Being closed has been huge economic strife for many, many companies,” she says. “It’s hurt our infrastructure. We’ve had feed yards shut down and packers shut down.” 

AUDIO: Barbara Jackson, Tucson, Arizona

The reopening doesn’t come without concerns. 

Timm Klump, a cow/calf operator just outside of Douglas, Arizona, says monitoring cattle for signs of infestations is more challenging for producers on the open range. “I have one ranch that we graze like 60 head on and it’s 30 square miles,” he says. “For the most part, you graze on average in Arizona, you probably graze 1 cow to 40 acres. But that’s in better country.”  

Keith Bopper Cannon is a retired cattlemen today, but battled New World screwworm in the 60s and says monitoring cattle will be key to prevent its spread. “It’s the same pest,” he says. “It’s got to be taken care of in the same way, with the sterile flies. But we have better medications. We have better ways of finding the problem and taking care of it.” 

AUDIO: Keith Bopper Cannon, Arizona

During a stop in Douglas, Arizona on Wednesday Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a $25 million commitment for a sterile fly dispersal facility to strengthen the country’s long-term response to the pest.  

Bill Sollers, president of the Cochise Graham Cattle Growers tells Brownfield it’s huge news.  “A lot of our association members are ranching right on the border,” he says. “And this is a huge deal for us because now we have a way to combat it. We hope they just get on it and get the flies here and get it operational.” 

AUDIO: Bill Sollers, Arizona

Jackson says the proposed sterile fly facility would complement the existing infrastructure in Texas. “Between the two locations, we have it covered from San Diego from the West Coast to the tip of Texas,” she says.  “So this is very important. We have the entire border where we can disperse flies from those two facilities successfully. And that’s what’s going to take to get it beat down.” 

The USDA does not have an expected date for the opening of the new dispersal facility, but says it could be completed in less than a year. 

USDA says its reopening timeline remains contingent upon continued progress by Mexico and ongoing risk assessments.