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USDA announces August reopening of Arizona port for cattle imports from Mexico

The USDA has announced plans to resume live cattle imports from Mexico.  Beginning August 24th, the department says it will open the Douglas, Arizona port to cattle trade.   

Stephen Diebel, president of the Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association, and cow-calf operator, tells Brownfield the Douglas port is about 350 miles from the latest case.  “That phase-in approach in that area, I think it’s an opportunity where we can continue to safeguard our resources,” he says.   

AUDIO: Stephen Diebel, Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association

Shad Sullivan who raises cattle in Colorado and Texas says, “The screwworm issue, the phased border reopening makes me a bit nervous, although I knew it was coming at some point, however, I didn’t know when.” 

Sullivan, who raises cattle in Colorado and Texas, says a lot of unknowns remain, but the reopening will likely result in some market volatility. “The biggest question is going to be what type of cattle are they bringing across,” he says.  “Are they going to be fat cattle? Are they going to be feeder cattle? What weight of feeder cattle? What kind of value are we going to add here? I think that all has to play into this.” 

AUDIO: Shad Sullivan, rancher

Diebel says after nearly two years of fighting New World screwworm, the industry is confident it has the tools to maintain and control the pest. “Having that confidence level of the current flight dispersal is very important and I think it’s a manageable situation as we get to the fall and the winter months,” he says.  “And again, additional flight dispersal coming on the end of this year.” 

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says following the reopening of the Douglas, Arizona port of entry, operational steps will be implemented simultaneously for subsequent openings at the Santa Teresa, New Mexico and Columbus, New Mexico ports.  

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association CEO Colin Woodall says the USDA’s decision will help normalize business for cattle operations throughout the border states and the Southern Plains.  Woodall says the USDA’s work and the work of cattle producers in those states bought the U.S. valuable time to improve domestic readiness and the whole-of-government response has put the industry in a strong position to safely and gradually resume cattle shipments.   

Every animal entering the United States through those ports will undergo a full USDA inspection to ensure it is free of any signs of New World screwworm.  

USDA says the reopening of the southern ports is contingent on Mexico’s adherence to the Join Action Plan.