Mexico

Cattle Digest Cattle on Feed but Will The Market Retest the Highs? Can Hogs Hold?

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:54:30 GMT

Livestock are higher Monday morning with corn and wheat trying to hold gains and soybeans lower.

Cattle Bounce After Holding Support and a Wild NWS Ride on Friday
Cattle futures are higher on Monday after a volatile session on Friday.

Joe Kooima, Kooima Kooima Varilek says the futures plunged with feeders touching limit down after around 10:00 am Central Time.

The selloff came on fears of USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announcing the reopening of the Southern border to Mexican cattle imports while at at the ground breaking of the new sterile fly facility in Texas to curb NWS.

When Rollins didn’t announce a reopening the market quickly rebounded he says. “I still think it’s kind of an AI generated program that caught Rollins speaking at 11:00 am.”

The good news is the market found good support at $243 on June live cattle, a mark that is being eyed by fund and algorithm traders.

“So we did hold that which was nice to see so found some support. When you have a market that is that overbought for that long unfortunately your sell-offs can be kind of pent up to a certain degree,” he explains.

Rollins in Arizona This Friday
Rollins is expected to be in Arizona this Friday and so he is fearful it could produce the same type of volatile action in the cattle market.

“You know, I thought I had heard her say we’re not going to do anything unless we can get some of those cases further away from any border of the U.S. But I’m unfortunately I’m fearful the market’s going to have a little bit of a leery feel on Friday.”

He adds the numbers coming through the border may be much smaller than feared after the border has been closed for a year now.

“The traders they just like to feed off of those headline and unfortunately we just can’t put that to rest until we get some kind of a hard headline basically with it but that’s who knows what she’s going to say but the market’s going to be anticipating or maybe not even anticipating just trading that the fact that she’s there on Friday again,” he says.

Cattle on Feed Friendly
The USDA Cattle on Feed Report was friendly with the on feed number at 99.5% of a year ago, placements at 92.7% and marketings at 94.5%.

The placements number was the second lowest for March since the series began in 1996, so bullish overall.

He says, “This is basically this is going to calm the market down a little bit from Friday’s episodes and basically say hey we still have a generally historically tight supply here for a while now. So that’s the basic take-home message. The on feed there’s nothing huge in it you see the numbers continuing to grow in the North which is not a huge surprise we have the feed around here we grow.

The steer to heifer quarterly breakout showed steers at 63% of the total and heifers the balance, down 1%.

Kooima says the data backs that up but the drought map may change that.

“It’s like a slow progression like this whole cycle has been going on here the last few years anyway. So that’s just the progression of the heifer retention moving forward too and how we’re going to rebuild this herd it’s just going to be awfully slow. So, yes a little bit is happening but it’s not happening in the places where it needs to happen,” he adds.

Cash Market Steady
The cash market was mostly steady at $248 and $388 dressed.

At first glance that is disappointing but Kooima says, “However, I’m going to twist that a little bit because we, yeah, $248 happening there late Thursday, then $248 at the beginning of the market on Friday as well. And there’s a. point there here at least in the North where they actually pulled that $248.”

Then the packers came back in after lunch and renewed bids at $248 and feed lots regained their leverage even with the break in the futures.

“So some of the guys that passed the $248 in the morning were feeling a little bit oh no we missed what happened here but they were luckily able to get that towards the end of the day. So, it’s kind of one of those psychological yes $248 wasn’t the best but it came after the huge collapse in the futures which tells you the numbers are tight,” he says.

Is the High In the Cattle Market?
Still there are many in the trade saying the highs are in on the futures as confirmed by last week’s lower weekly closes.

So the market, according to Kooima, will need some bullish news in the form of higher cash to retest or take out those record highs scored last Tuesday.

The other key will be whether or not beef demand stays strong.

Is Beef Demand Holding?
Kooima says that is a tough subject but he says some of the higher priced cuts have been coming down in price while ground beef has been slowly grinding higher.

“The basic principle of demand is that if you have a product, you keep inching up that price higher and higher and higher because it’s moving. It’s moving. You’re going to retract the prices when you see the lack of movement. Two weeks ago, we had ground beef at all times high, which would tell you that things are great but last week we did have to backpedal just a little bit,” he explains.

That tells him that there is some push back especially as this is the best time of the year for demand.

“How I view it is that we’ve maybe reached a price point now where these consumers are trading down proteins,” he adds.

Hogs Bounce But Can They Hold?
Lean hog futures are higher after nine lower sessions and new lows for the move. So will the bounce hold?

Kooima says, “When I write down the product, the cutout level every day in the cash, Friday, it jumped out a little bit more that, okay, You have the cutout closing over 99 cents late Friday. And you have June. within a few dollars of it. July and August have a little bit of a premium, but where is our premium for these summer months? Historically, we always go into tighter numbers, just even on a normal year. But this year we’re dealing with all that disease issues. So I guess I’m going to look at a price point better than where we’re at right now. Where’s our premium? Let’s get those premiums back in those summer months.”

He says chart wise the market finished a three-wave theory to the downside.

“The first break was about $7 back a few months ago. Middle break was about $9, and this last one was about $7 as well. So hopefully we’re seeing a little bit of a technical action here where we can push this market up a little bit.”

He says the key is for slaughter to start slowing down and responding to the increase in disease being reported.

His theory is when disease hit six to eight months ago the large players did a great job of backfilling with Canadian isoweans.

Corn, Wheat Higher and Soybeans Lower
Grain markets continue to see wheat pulling up the corn due to weather concerns in hard red winter wheat areas ranging from drought to frost over the weekend.

However, corn may have a difficult time building on last week’s higher week as planter get rolling.

Plus, Kooima says with last week’s peace talks with Iran the funds decided to blow out of a good chunk of their long position.

“You know, they got out of quite a bit, 50, 60,000 on both sides of the beans and the corn. So, but yeah, it’s a big, long growing season
here in front of us,” he says.

However, if crude oil prices stay high it will lead to inflation which may bring some funds back into buy the grains.

“I think that’s part of their backbone of purchasing the grains the way that they have. And they just respectfully got out of some positions last week, because, yeah, when you see the crude oil have $10, $12 down days, too, you certainly want to lighten up the load a little bit. But inflation is for real. It’s maybe not as big as what people anticipate, but every month one that comes out, it’s higher than a year ago. If crude oil stays elevated the way that it is, we know how long that takes to finally trickle down into the gasoline prices anyway. So then inflation to me is pretty real,” he explains.

Has the Cattle Market Finally Topped on Fear of Border Reopening? Grains Fall as Strait Opened

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 15:54:44 GMT

Markets started Friday lower except for cattle but after 10:00 am Central Time the cattle futures tanked.

Cattle Bounce Early
Cattle futures were slightly higher early on Friday in tandem with the stock market soaring into record territory and plunging crude oil futures with word the Strait of Hormuz has been reopened.

Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says that provided and early bounce for cattle after two down days tied to profit taking but then the market crashed.

He says with prices at record highs the risk is high.

“We’ve got an on-feed report coming up with 100% on-feed estimate, and we are $50 higher than where we were last year on the same cattle on-feed. So we’re at some impressive levels here, Michelle.”

Is a Top In the Cattle Market?
The cattle market was overbought which triggered some profit taking and with futures tanking on Friday it will confirm a lower weekly close and reversal off of record highs.

So will that also confirm a top in the cattle market?

Varilek says, “That’s going to be the question here because it it looks like hey look at the time of year we’re in we’re at the time of year we can put a high in charts almost look like it you know we drove through make contract highs closed all the gaps and then what was the encore not much we drifted a little bit lower. So, for about the you know 75th time we’ll try to call a top in this market but it I don’t know that we want to try to do that it’s just the potential is there for it you know,” he says.

April live cattle futures did get over $250 and the contract was slammed with a bunch of deliveries as well which is bearish.

“We’ve got 20 deliveries and three retenders on the market so we are just seeing that starting to act a little bit more sloppy here,” he adds.

Line in the Sand for Funds is $243
The line in the sand on a technical basis for the funds to defend their longs is $243 on the June live cattle chart says Varilek.

“Funds don’t sell highs. They don’t buy lows. Once the chart starts to flip and their signals start to go off, whether it’s crossing moving averages, whether it’s coming off of being overbought, then they start to unwind positions. And it kind of sounds like around that $243 area on the June is
the spot that they’re looking at,” he says.

As of mid-session that low had held but for how long?

“There’s the old saying never be short June cattle in the month of May. Yes we’re in different times now you know it’s going to be wild as high as we are but that’s that’s how the market could feel so long story short $243 is a spot that I would think that we need to hold for that,” he adds.

Fear of Border Reopening
Fundamentally what has spooked the market is the fear of USDA announcing the border reopening as Secretary Brooke Rollins will be announcing the ground breaking of the New World Screwworm facility in Texas on Friday morning.

The fear is she could also announce the resumption of Mexican cattle imports.

Varilek says, “I mean, will there be an announcement? Will there not? We’re just kind of all hands on deck, kind of watching and wondering what she’s going to say. So going down for some groundbreaking of the facility. But you just would expect that she’s going to say something.
Okay. What kind of plan are we going to softly open a port and get some cattle coming across? And I think that’s what we’ve been talking about for a couple of weeks. So it’s not brand new, but I think that’s our expectations is that she will say something.”

He thinks the timing is odd as the weather is getting warmer which more easily allows the fly to migrate North versus the winter time.

However, it won’t be as big of an impact as feared due to the staggered reopening and the fact Mexico has developed its own feeding capacity.

“You know, they’ve been able to kill the cattle down there and ship the meat up here. So they may not be as eager to send near as many numbers as what they had planned before. So I feel like it’s negative to the market, but maybe not as negative as it probably used to be months ago.”

Cash Disappoints
Cash trade also developed on a light basis on Thursday at $248 live and mostly $388 up to $342 dressed, which is steady money with last week but a disappointment to the market.

“I mean, it was last week. It was these $248 bids and only one regional out there getting some $250, maybe a little disappointing. And I think everybody wanted that round $250 number so we could just feel good about it. It would have traded if it hit. Packers really dug their heels in and they’re sitting at $248. And now we have some sloppy trade this week. A lot of $248 starting to trickle around. I know several people have taken it and a couple dollars off of $250 is still a great price. These cattle are going to probably make some money up here because we’ve got extra days on feed. We’re making them bigger. Hard to say pass on that.”

Cattle on Feed Report
The market was also seeing some positioning ahead of the USDA Cattle on Feed report which is expected to be somewhat bullish.

The on feed estimate is 100%, placements at 93% and marketings at 94%.

“The South placements are going to be much lower and that’s, what’s really pulling this down. So, so that feels okay. You know that, Hey, when we’re. We’re still seeing the tight numbers, the on-feed number.”

Next month that could change as some of the feeder are being moved off grass and wheat pastures early due to drought.

Feeder Cattle Cash Index Hits Record High
This week the feeder cattle cash index hit a record high of $379.09 which is also supportive.

“That’s been strong. And feeders have been what’s bailing out this market. You know, that’s still the case.”

Lean Hogs Make New Lows
Lean hog futures are down a 9th day and making more new lows for the move but will the market find support soon on the charts?

Varilek says, “Hogs are trendy and it’s making a third leg lower. So Elliott Wave people, chart people, you might look at that and wonder, okay, so when it holds, you almost need to wait for that confirmation before you can kind of really jump into that market. Let it trend lower here. I think that cash and cutouts have been a little bit sloppy here looking for that to get better I think here rather soon.”

He bases that on the disease issues in the herd and eventually that will produce a marketing hole.

Grains Tank as Strait of Hormuz Opens
The grains are all lower on Friday taking out war premium with the Strait of Hormuz opening back up.

Varilek says, “Crude oil down $10 here today. Grains did put a little bit of premium on for that, and now we’re just taking that off. The equities are impressive how they can rally on back. So, as of now we’re feeling this war is going to stop or get better but not super confident. And wheat could not take out the April highs so it saw some profit taking and so is the rest of the grain complex.”

The 1.1 Million Head Gap: Analyzing the Impact of the U.S.-Mexico Border Closure

Tue, 07 Apr 2026 03:01:13 GMT

For more than 35 years, Mexican cattle have been a critical component of the American beef supply chain.

The U.S.-Mexico border has been closed since July 9 . A temporary phased reopening that began July 7 with the Douglas, Ariz., port was short-lived with a case reported July 8, 370 miles from the border, which was 160 miles northward of the sterile fly dispersal grid at that time.

Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist, says, “Prior to the border closing in November 2024, U.S. imports of Mexican cattle had averaged 1.18 million head annually in the previous decade (Figure 1) and 1.12 million head per year in the previous 35 years.”

(Oklahoma State University)

Mexican cattle imports equaled 3.4% of the total U.S. calf crop from 2015 to 2024 and 3.1% since 1990. The brief border opening in 2025 allowed about 230,000 head to cross, 0.7% of the 2025 calf crop.

(Oklahoma State University)

Figure 2 shows the average seasonal pattern of Mexican cattle imports from 2019 to 2023.

“The typical pattern is bimodal with peaks in March and again in November/December,” Peel says. “Calves carried over from the previous year are typically exported in the first half of the year with relatively few exported in the heat of the summer. New-crop calves start to be exported in the final months of the year, carrying over into the next year.”

(Oklahoma State University)

Figure 3 shows the distribution Mexican cattle imports by port in 2023, the last year with a fully open border. The largest port is Santa Teresa, N.M., which accounted for nearly 43% of cattle crossing.

Peel reports, along with the Columbus port, New Mexico accounted for more than 53% of total cattle imports. The ports at Nogales and Douglas in Arizona represented another 27.5% of cattle crossings. The six ports in Texas accounted for a total of 19.2% of total Mexican cattle imports. The largest Texas port is Presidio/Ojinaga with 7.7% of the total.

Potential Phased Reopening: How Much and How Fast Can Cattle Imports Recover?

Peel says rumors are currently swirling that the border could open soon , probably with the phased plan to open ports from west to east over time. He says, if the border would reopen, the recovery will not be very fast.

“It will take several weeks for border facilities to restaff and have USDA-APHIS personnel in place to inspect and clear paperwork for crossing cattle,” he stresses. “It takes time (and cost) for Mexican producers to prepare cattle and the paperwork needed for crossing. It’s not clear how aggressive Mexican producers will be initially until they have a sense of how stable the border situation might be.”

By the time cattle can begin crossing, it will be close to the heat of summer, which is likely to limit crossings. Peel predicts if cattle are allowed to cross relatively soon, numbers of cattle imports could begin to recover significantly by fall.

Exactly what that recovery looks like, and the numbers expected are uncertain.

“Mexico has continued to adapt since the border has been closed, utilizing previously exported cattle in domestic markets,” Peel explains. “Mexico has developed significant cattle feeding and packing infrastructure in the past 25 or so years. More infrastructure investment is underway.”

Read more about the potential border reopening:

Should Beef Producers Be Concerned About Potential Phased Reopening of U.S.-Mexico Border?

Mexico is the eighth largest beef-producing country and the seventh largest beef-consuming country. Mexico is the number 11 beef exporting country and beef exports have grown more than 10 times in the past 20 years.

“U.S. imports of Mexican cattle are part of an increasingly integrated cattle and beef trade relationship between Mexico and the U.S.,” Peel adds. “Mexican cattle imports have been important for many decades.”

(Oklahoma State University)

In the 1980s, Mexico became a significant beef export market for the U.S. and is currently the No. 3 beef export market. More recently, after 2010, Mexico has become a significant source of U.S. beef imports, currently the No. 4 source of beef imports, see Figure 4.

“Cattle and beef trade between the U.S. and Mexico are interrelated markets ,so the current disruption in cattle movement across the border may have a variety of impacts in the future,” Peel summarizes.

Your Next Read:

Tighter Supplies and Border Closures: A Snapshot of Today’s Cattle Feeding Industry

Should Beef Producers Be Concerned About Potential Phased Reopening of U.S.-Mexico Border?

Fri, 03 Apr 2026 18:43:31 GMT

The debate at the U.S.-Mexico border continues as the fear of New World screwworm (NWS) increases with warmer spring temperatures while the supplies of feeder cattle tighten.

The border has been closed since July 9 . A temporary phased reopening that began July 7 with the Douglas, Ariz., port was short-lived with a case reported July 8, 370 miles from the border, which was 160 miles northward of the sterile fly dispersal grid at that time.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins spoke with media during the Texas Southwest Cattle Raisers Convention about a potential phased reopening of the border.

“We’re looking at it every single day,” she says. “The closest the screwworm has gotten to the Arizona border is about 800 miles. So, we’re currently evaluating a potential phased-in strategy. We obviously will not be opening all four ports anytime soon, but there is a realistic conversation that’s currently happening that’s looking at that port that’s about 800 miles from the closest case. More to come on that. I expect an announcement either way on that, perhaps within the next two to four weeks.”

A USDA spokesperson confirmed her statement, explaining, “USDA will resume livestock imports at such a time when we determine the risk of NWS introduction into the U.S. can be adequately mitigated. To make the determination, USDA is evaluating a combination of factors including our science-based import protocol, the animal health status of individual Mexican states, and the degree to which Mexico’s national agriculture authority has made progress in implementing our recommendations.”

Where is the Closest Case?

A USDA spokesperson told Drovers the active case closest to the U.S. was confirmed March 17 in the Mexican state of Tamaulipas and is 146 miles away from the border. According to the Screwworm.gov website , there are 1,433 active cases of NWS in Mexico as of April 1.

“There was an isolated case in Nuevo Leon last September that was about 70 miles away from the border,” a USDA spokesperson confirms. “There have not been any cases within 100 miles of the border since then.”

Dan Basse, AgResource Co. president, says he is growing increasingly concerned as the threat of NWS edges closer to the U.S. border.

“I’m becoming more pessimistic as each day goes by,” Basse says. “Seasonally, the fly moves northward, and it’s not that far away.”

Biosecurity Versus Supply Pressures

According to Jim Wiesemeyer, host of the “Wiesemeyer’s Perspectives” podcast and a Washington analyst, the reopening debate is being driven by two competing dynamics:

Biosecurity risk remains the primary constraint.
Market pressures are intensifying.

“Tight U.S. feeder cattle supplies and operational strain on Southwest feedyards are increasing pressure on USDA to restore imports from Mexico, a key supply source for the region,” Wiesemeyer explains.

Basse estimates roughly 120,000 head per month that would typically move into the U.S. are currently being held in Mexico, further tightening already constrained supplies.

“I don’t know how APHIS [USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service] can open the border today,” he says.

Rollins says keeping the borders closed has been instrumental in keeping NWS out of the U.S.

“I think they [Mexico’s government] would have been good partners, whether we close the ports or not, but I know for sure they have been much better partners because those ports have been closed,” Rollins says.

Adis Dijab, DVM and veterinary services associate deputy administrator for APHIS, says Moore Air Base is the hub of the U.S. expansion for sterile NWS flies . He says the dispersal facility is operational and the production plant is scheduled to be built and fully online by 2027 — aiming for 300 million sterile flies per week. On Jan. 30, USDA announced a shift in its 100 million-per-week sterile fly dispersal efforts to reinforce coverage along the U.S.-Mexico border.

What Would a Phased Reopening Mean for U.S. Beef Producers?

“I suspect the futures market will react pretty significantly,” says Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist. “But the fact of the matter is this is not that big a deal. It’s not going to cause an immediate impact of any kind at this point in time.”

David Anderson, Texas A&M professor and Extension specialist for livestock and food product marketing, agrees, saying reopening the border will not fundamentally make a huge difference for the U.S. producer.

“There is not really a flood of animals waiting to come this way,” he explains. “While cattle would be imported it should not have a huge effect on the market. A little more supplies and a little impact on price. It should take a while for imports to ramp up. Phased means a slow reopening, so that implies a slow or small effect on numbers and prices.”

Peel predicts cattle flow from Mexico would trickle, not surge, especially going into the summer heat period when movements usually tail off.

Other constraints that Peel says will limit cattle crossing the border include:

Understaffing and loss of USDA APHIS personnel at ports could be a bottleneck.
Prior abrupt closures have eroded Mexican producers’ confidence, so they’re unlikely to rush cattle north without proof the border will stay open.
Mexico is investing and adapting internally, which could permanently change traditional movement patterns and how much and how quickly cattle flow to the U.S. even after reopening.

“Long term, if we return eventually to normal things, then, you know, that does add some supply back into our feeder cattle supplies,” Peel says. “But that’s all going to take months. I mean, it really doesn’t happen much this year. ... We’re probably talking about next year.”

Don Close, senior animal protein analyst at Terrain Ag, says the biggest impact will be psychological.

“Because the futures market is an anticipatory market, and [if] we ever have any border opening, the market’s going to perceive more numbers to come down the road, so that’s where that psychological impact could come from,” he explains.

He predicts the real story will be a North American cattle shortage, not just a U.S. shortage, due to drought also experienced in Mexico.

The positive impact, according to Anderson, will be for Southwestern U.S. feeders.

He says more supplies of cattle would eventually help the packer keep shifts going to help some plants survive, but when Mexican cattle come across the border, they are “a long way off from finishing.” It will not be immediate relief for the packer.

“I don’t think it’s an immediate impact except in the futures market, because it always reacts immediately and then figures it out and recorrects later,” Anderson says. “It would help boost beef supplies for the consumer — many months down the road. I don’t think this helps enough to offset the increase in gas and diesel prices and the longer-term impact of these costs on our production and marketing system.”

No Need to Panic

Should beef producers be concerned about a potential phased reopening of U.S.-Mexico border?

“I would say this is not something to panic about,” Anderson summarizes. “There are a lot of positives for cattle producers, especially in the Southwest, and the truckers, feed stores, markets and others who are part of the cattle industry in the Southwest.”

He emphasizes, “I think one real benefit is the inspection and surveillance that happens at the border that is a real positive to have a better idea of what is going on.”

Close’s message to producers is that a border reopening would likely cause a short-term, mostly psychological softening in feeder prices, but it won’t solve the broader North American cattle shortage, so any relief will be limited and temporary.

The message from industry analysts is not to panic, but to steady the ship, manage risk and prepare for NWS.

Your Next Reads:

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

Wed, 11 Mar 2026 19:59:31 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 16:15:46 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

Did the Administration's Plan to Lower Beef Prices Wreck the Bull Run in the Cattle Market?

Fri, 14 Nov 2025 20:02:31 GMT

2025 has been a historic year in the cattle market. The tightest cattle numbers in 70 years laid the ground work for cash and futures prices to push to record and all-time highs.

From All-Time High to Crash
The peak in the cattle futures market was hit on Oct. 16. However, by Nov. 6, live cattle saw a $30 correction from the highs and feeder cattle futures set back nearly $70. The cattle market chaos wasn’t tied to fundamentals but liquidation by speculative traders on fear of policy changes by the administration as President Donald Trump announced a plan to lower beef prices for consumers.

Fundamentals Have Not Changed
Don Close, senior animal protein analyst with Terrain, says the market fundamentals that started the bull run in the cattle market are still intact.

“Certainly with domestic supplies, they have not changed in any fashion when you’re looking at the tightest cattle numbers that we’ve had in 70 years,” he says.

With high retail beef prices, there is no evidence of consumer sticker shock or trading down to other lower-priced proteins. Close says the beef industry has not seen any erosion in demand.

So, what changed? Analysts say it was the shift in market psychology in reaction to President Trump’s announced plan to lower beef prices for consumers on Oct. 16.

While the President’s announcement lacked details, the goal seemed to be to mimic the success the administration had in bringing down egg prices. With the prospect of government intervention, the live and feeder cattle futures touched limit down the following day as speculative traders who had been long in the cattle futures market for many weeks took profits and liquidated.

Jeff Hoogendoorn, with Professional Ag Marketing, says the managed money fund traders did not want to bet against the government.

“If you’re a hedge fund manager, you look at this cattle thing and say ‘Yeah it’s gone up an awful lot. We’ve made a lot of money,’” he says. “‘Now the administration’s going to be fighting against me. I think I’ll go find something else to do’, and you move your money elsewhere.”

Trump Administration Quadruples Argentina Beef Imports
Just days later, President Trump made an announcement to quadruple the Tariff Rate Quota for Argentina beef imports . That triggered additional selling in cattle futures despite the insignificant impact it has on U.S. beef supplies.

Patrick Linnell, director of market research with CattleFax, explains: “That change from 20,000 metric tons to 80,000 metric tons would represent around 132 million lb. And really, that comes down to about three-tenths of a lb. per capita to net beef supplies.”

(Allendale )

The move drew immediate fire from the nation’s cattle groups, including the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA).

Colin Woodall, NCBA chief executive officer, explains that with the current trade imbalance with Argentina, the administration needed to push for more market access in Argentina instead of importing more of its beef.

“Over the past five years, Argentina has sent over $800 million worth of their beef into the U.S. market, and they’ve only accepted $7 million of our beef into their market,” Woodall explains.

Justin Tupper president of the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, adds that increasing beef imports was a slap in the face to U.S. cattle producers, and they opposed the move because countries like Brazil and Argentina have lower food safety standards and other practices that put the U.S. at a disadvantage.

“I think we want to be able to play on the same level playing field,” he says. “And I don’t think that happens with Argentina and Brazil. And again, I really don’t think it’s going to lower prices.”

Tupper adds neither producers or consumers stood to gain from increasing beef imports.

For more about Tupper’s thoughts:
South Dakota Producer Speaks Out About Beef Imports and “Product of USA” Push

Cattle Groups Tell Trump to Stay out of the Cattle Business
As a result, cattle groups and outraged producers warned the president to stay out of their business.

Woodall says: “We have worked really hard through the free market to be able to achieve the prices that we’re seeing. We don’t want government intervention coming in and messing with that and taking away these great opportunities we’re seeing.”

Tupper agrees: “It’s an industry that wants to work on competition and merit based, and we can do that if we make sure we don’t get to many outside interests — the government being one.”

Government Policy Pushes Prices Higher
However, two government policies pushed live cattle from $210 to $250 from July through September.

1. Increased Tariffs on Brazil. The U.S. increased tariffs on Brazil an additional 50% in mid-August, which nearly halted imports of beef trim coming into the U.S. Linnell explains, prior to that time, Brazil was a top importer of trim used to blend in ground beef.

“As of July on a 12-month basis, we’d imported just shy of 1.1 billion lb. from Brazil,” he says.

2. Closing the Mexican Border. The biggest policy change that tightened cattle numbers came from the U.S. closing the border to feeder cattle imports . Linnell says prior to closure, the U.S. imported more than 1.2 million feeder cattle annually. So, dropping the ban would have an immediate supply shock.

“We won’t see all 1.2 million head coming across at once but approaching that 25,000 head a week isn’t out of the question,” he adds.

(CattleFax )

While USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has confirmed there’s no date for resuming trade, speculative traders are headline driven. Every time USDA hosts a news conference on New World screwworm, it tanks the market — especially feeder cattle futures.

The market has also been sensitive to rumors of the border reopening, says Scott Varilek, of Kooima Kooima Varilek.

“There’s this large supply in Mexico. That would be the one thing that would probably affect this market the most,” Varilek says. “So, we’re penciling that in.”

Trump Calls for DOJ Investigation
The latest attempt to curb beef inflation came Nov. 7, as the president announced on his Truth Social site the Department of Justice was launching an investigation of the nation’s meat packers .

The president’s announcement says he vows to “ensure these corporations aren’t criminally profiting at the expense of the American people.”

Packer concentration has long been a hot button issue for cattle producers and is at the root of R-CALF’s six-year lawsuit, explains Bill Bullard, chief executive officer.

“We have alleged that the meat packers had unlawfully colluded in order to artificially depress cattle prices, while at the same time raising or inflating the price of beef to the consumers,” he says.

Currently 85% of the U.S. beef packing industry is owned by four entities, and Bullard says this monopoly violates antitrust law.

“Both the producers on the beginning of the supply chain and consumers at the end of the supply chain were exploited as a result of this monopolistic marketing structure,” he says.

Read more about Bullard’s thoughts regarding the DOJ investigation: Is the Beef Market Broken? One Cattleman Says Yes

But according to Derrell Peel, livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, past DOJ price fixing probes and research have disputed that.

“While there’s a very small level of negative price impact due to the concentration of market power, if you will, it’s far outweighed by the by the benefits in terms of cost efficiencies that the large firms bring to the industry,” he summarizes.

Read more about Peel’s comments regarding the industry chaos today: Beef Industry Chaos: Tight Supplies, Strong Consumer Demand and Political Interference

Cattle Producers Say Trump’s Beef Plan Topped the Market
Some of the other aspects of the President’s plan to rebuild the cattle herd were met with favor, such as opening more public land to grazing. However, in the end, the president’s beef plan has wreaked havoc in the cattle market and outraged producers, according to Varilek.

“They’re mad,” he summarizes. “That’s all it took was just kind of the government shoving in there and wrecking [the] market. I think the biggest thing was that there were some claims that the tariffs were the reason that we got this high, and that is not at all the case.”

Linnell agrees the negative headlines have hurt the market, adding: “There is no doubt that these policy decisions are making a big impact on the marketplace. They also just increase a lot of uncertainty and volatility in the industry.”

Cattle Market Chaos Further Slows Herd Rebuilding
The loss in value of females just over the last three weeks has also hurt producer confidence, and according to Close, that could further slow heifer retention and herd rebuilding efforts .

“We’re seeing one more round where we’re going to kick that can down the road instead of actually retaining the females needed,” he explains.

Market analysts, including Peel, say the reality is lowering beef prices is like turning the Titanic — and the president’s plan is unlikely to affect much change.

“It took several years of of drought and other impacts to get us here,” Peel explains. “It’s going to take several years for us to grow our way out of this situation.”

Close says once the market refocuses on fundamentals, cattle could retest the highs.

“As crazy as it sounds today, I’m not yet convinced we’ve seen the high of the cash market, and I would readily argue that we get into next spring, next summer to see a cash market back in that $240 to $245 plus level. I think is entirely possible,” he predicts.

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

Thu, 13 Nov 2025 18:13:01 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

No Trade Agreement Can Boast the Success of USMCA, The Meat Institute Says

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 21:13:19 GMT

The Meat Institute is calling on the Trump administration to renew the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) for its benefits to American meat and poultry companies and the entire U.S. animal protein value chain.

“USMCA has been a boon for the American meat, livestock and poultry sector, along with the broader American food and agriculture economy and ancillary industries,” said Julie Anna Potts, The Meat Institute president and CEO, in a news release. “It has provided steady income to American farmers, ranchers, and meat and poultry exporters; it has created jobs for American truck drivers, ports, and transportation companies; it has strengthened American food retail and food service establishments; and it has accomplished all of this through transparent rules that allow American businesses to proactively plan supply chains and develop durable customer relationships.”

USMCA entered into force on July 1, 2020, substituting the North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to create more balanced, reciprocal trade supporting high-paying jobs for Americans and grow the North American economy, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) .

“The domestic U.S. meat and poultry industry’s long-term economic viability, though, depends on robust international trade, particularly as domestic per capita consumption of meat and poultry remains stable, and 95% of consumers live outside the U.S,” The Meat Institute wrote in comments submitted to the USTR on Nov. 3. “International trade is, therefore, vital to the long-term strength of the U.S. meat and poultry industry, the American workers it supports, and the rural and farm communities it sustains.”

In 2024, U.S. meat and poultry exports exceeded $24.6 billion. Meat and poultry product exports to Canada and Mexico accounted for $7.5 billion of that total. Annually, approximately 14% of U.S. beef production, 15% of U.S. poultry production and 25% of U.S. pork production are exported, the organization noted. As well, exports add value to every animal produced, and in turn, increase demand for U.S. corn and soybeans.

“The Trump Administration’s America First Trade Policy Agenda has reinvigorated American trade policy and has reasserted American leadership to advance U.S. meat, poultry, food, and agriculture trade in a manner that revitalizes our farm communities and supports broad-based economic growth. President Trump’s negotiation of the USMCA during his first term resulted in the world’s gold-standard trade agreement,” the letter said. “Thanks to President Trump’s leadership, USMCA has bolstered U.S. meat, poultry, and livestock trade, has led to increased market integration in North America, and must be preserved without significant changes that would disrupt the U.S. meat and poultry industry’s substantial access to the Canadian and Mexican markets.”

The Meat Institute says it’s clear USMCA’s access terms – zero tariffs on most meat, poultry and livestock trade – have underpinned American economic and job growth, particularly in rural and farm communities across the U.S.

“No other trade agreement can boast the same success,” Potts said. “President Trump deserves enormous credit for this extraordinary achievement.”

See The Meat Institute’s full comments in response to the U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) “Request for Comments on the Operation of the Agreement Between the United States of America, the United Mexican States, and Canada.”

Cattle Recovering But Is a Bottom In? Soybeans Make Fresh Highs, Corn Fails

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:12:25 GMT

Live and feeder cattle futures are higher to start Monday with hogs lower. Soybeans are extending gains, but corn is lower.

Cattle Recovering But is the Low In?
Live and feeder cattle futures are higher early Monday still trying to recover after the recent $60 correction in feeder cattle futures and $25 correction in live cattle futures.

Brad Kooima of Kooima Kooima Varilek says while the futures are distancing themselves from last week’s lows he isn’t sure if all of the bearish news is factored into the market yet.

The fear of the border reopening to Mexican feeder cattle imports is still in question and Kooima says USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins is in Mexico today meeting with her counterparts to discuss the New World Screwworm eradication and prevention efforts.

He says the additional 50% tariffs on Brazilian imports look like they will be suspended as both countries leaders have indicated as much, but there is nothing official on it yet. Those news items continue to loom large in the market according to Kooima.

What Do the Charts Say?
Long term uptrend lines are still intact in the live and feeder cattle futures but both posted lower weekly and monthly closes. Plus, there is a bearish flag formation on the December live cattle and January feeder cattle charts.

So, Kooima says that is also a concern for the fund traders and could cause more liquidation with a technical breakout.

Cash Could be Higher This Week?
Very little negotiated fed cash trade took place in the North last week according to Kooima. There were some sales early in the week at lower money in what looked like panic selling at $228 to $230 live and mostly $360 dressed. However, in the South the market tarted at $235 later in the week and by Saturday Kooima says there was some $237 traded in Texas. So, the trend continued to improve as the week progressed. As a result, Kooima is calling the fed cash market steady to possibly higher this week.

Meanwhile, the cash feeder market has softened in the country and the cash index is expected to be $3.50 lower today a $343.70.

Hogs Fail Despite Lower China Tariffs
Lean hog futures continued to see pressure early Monday and were barely holding support in the December contract at $80.00 despite the futures discount to the cash index at $91.19. However, cash has continued to fall and weigh on the futures.

The White House released details of the China trade framework over the weekend which included China lowering retaliatory tariffs established on March 4 which would be positive for pork exports. However, even that failed to move the market higher and Kooima says it may be because China is unlikely to buy pork with the glut of supplies in their own country.

Soybeans Make Fresh Highs
Meanwhile, soybeans are making new highs for the move as the White House clarified the lower Chinese tariffs on U.S. soybeans and that the 12 MMT China has agreed to buy is for the last two months of 2025, which is bullish.

Corn Fails
Corn failed to follow the strength in the soybean market as the last of the U.S. harvest is coming to market and looking for storage so there is some hedge pressure. Plus, Kooima says the corn market is running into stiff chart resistance in the December contract.

Can Cattle Recover on Cash Feeders, Border Closure? Soybeans See More China Buys

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 15:09:55 GMT

Cattle futures and nearby hogs are higher early Friday with a softer tone to grain markets.

Cattle Futures Recovering on Higher Cash

After an ugly pullback in the cattle market futures are trying to recover for a third day on Friday according to Scott Varilek of Kooima Kooima Varilek.

He says live cattle has a $25 correction from the highs with feeder cattle a $55 correction from high to low and so the market is due for some recovery.

The first strong sign is cash feeder prices are back higher at the auction barns which Varilek says was where the initial strength in the market originated, so that is encouraging. Plus, fed cash trade has started to improve as the week has progressed with Southern live deals at $235 on Thursday and bids renewed at that level on Friday.

Technically Uptrends Still Intact
Chart damage has been done on the correction with some analysts pointing to a bearish pennant formation on the December live cattle and January feeder cattle. However, Varilek points out that the long term uptrend lines are still intact.

Mexican Border Remains Closed
Politically related news was part of the reason for the selloff in the cattle futures most notably the fear of the border opening to Mexican feeder cattle imports. However, Varilek says with the Mexican Ag Minister saying there has been no date set for opening the border, that has taken some fear out of the market.

Market Watching Brazil Tariffs
Yet, there is still lingering concern about the Trump administration removing the additional 50% import tariffs invoked in August which would allow more Brazilian beef, particularly trim, to flow back into the market. Varilek says that is a development traders are closely watching because while Argentina imports are a drop in the bucket Brazil is a top exporter.

Hogs Try to Bounce After Getting No “Love” From China Deal
Lean hog futures ended mostly lower on Thursday seeing no specific mention of pork in the China deal and with lower cash continuing to anchor the market. Varilek says nearby futures were trying to bounce Friday morning on end of the month short covering but a more sustained rally will be difficult until cash stops falling.

Corn Consolidates, Soybeans Pause Despite More China Purchases
Corn was lower early Friday on end of month profit taking and some farmer selling while soybeans traded two sided.

Soybeans were up sharply on Thursday making new highs for the move and 13 month highs in the January contract after China announced a deal that included 12 MMT of purchases for 2025 and 25 MMT for the three years following.

Friday morning there was talk of another four cargoes of soybeans being sold to China of the Pacific Northwest or 250,000 MT. However, it failed to rally soybeans as Varilek says the market has reached some technical objectives and likely hit some resistance. However, he thinks with the tailwind of the China deal soybeans can move higher. “You know what they say, soybeans don’t spend much time in the $11 range,” he adds.

Cattle Market Roller Coaster Continues: Mexican Ag Minister Announces U.S. Visit to Discuss Border Opening

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 15:07:07 GMT

It’s been a roller coaster week for the cattle markets. Feeder cattle were limit down Friday morning after the announcement Mexico’s agriculture minister will travel to Washington next week with the aim of reaching an agreement on the reopening of the border to Mexican cattle.

The announcement was made Thursday by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum according to Reuters .

The U.S.-Mexican border has been closed since May due to the northward spread of New World screwworm .

Mexican Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegué is scheduled to meet with Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to discuss plans for the border.

“We hope he can return with an agreement on the border opening,” Sheinbaum said in her regular press conference.

Rollins has criticized Mexico’s response to the outbreak. In September, Mexico confirmed its first cases of NWS infections in animals in the state of Nuevo Leon , which borders the U.S.

She shared a update on X Oct. 19.

🚨 𝐍𝐖𝐒 𝐔𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄 🚨

FIRST and most important — No new cases have been detected in the last 7 days in Mexican states bordering the United States.@USDA and our partners continue to lead an aggressive response to New World Screwworm (NWS). This is a national security threat…
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) October 20, 2025

“First and most important — no new cases have been detected in the last seven days in Mexican states bordering the United States,” Rollins says. “USDA and our partners continue to lead an aggressive response to New World screwworm (NWS). This is a national security threat, and it has the full attention of the Trump administration.”

She also announced the release of the USDA NWS Response Playbook .

“This playbook reflects our current approach and response if we ever have a confirmed positive NWS in the USA,” Rollins explains. “We want our state and industry partners to continue to provide feedback on ways to make the playbook even stronger.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is urging U.S. cattle ranchers to lower beef prices while several agencies announced an effort to rebuild the country’s decimated cattle herd. The White House also said on Thursday that Trump is quadrupling the country’s low-tariff imports of Argentine beef in his attempt to lower grocery store beef prices, angering U.S. ranchers.

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

Texas Launches New Trapping Plan for New World Screwworm

Sat, 27 Sep 2025 14:23:48 GMT

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced Friday that the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) has launched a New World screwworm (NWS) Trapping Plan to boost the state’s defenses against the spread of this harmful livestock pest. The strategy emphasizes early detection and quick response by placing traps in key high-risk zones along the Texas–Mexico border and around major port regions.

“The New World screwworm poses a serious threat to Texas livestock and rural communities,” Miller said in a press release . “We are taking proactive steps to monitor, detect, and stop this parasite before it harms Texas agriculture. Our farmers, ranchers, and consumers depend on us being ready, and we will be.”

Under the plan, TDA will place traps in the following areas:

Texas–Mexico Border: From the Maverick/Webb County line just west of Laredo to Brownsville
TDA Export Pens: Brownsville, Del Rio, El Paso, Laredo and Houston.
Port Regions: Surrounding areas in Galveston and Corpus Christi.

Traps, such as Red Delta Traps, Black Delta Traps and black PVC traps, will be installed in accordance with the NWS Response Fly Surveillance and Site Selection Methods. Each trap will be documented and monitored, including photographic records of its condition.

Traps will be inspected weekly. Any flies collected will be sorted and initially identified by TDA personnel. Suspect samples will be packaged with the appropriate USDA form and sent for confirmation to the USDA’s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) Parasite Identification Lab.

Reporting and oversight will consist of weekly trapping reports prepared by TDA regional staff members and sent via email to the NWS Task Force. This coordinated approach facilitates the quick exchange of information and enhances response readiness.

Your Next Read: The Battle at the Border

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

Wed, 24 Sep 2025 20:02:36 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

Tue, 22 Jul 2025 16:28:55 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

President Trump Threatens New Round of Tariffs Over the Weekend: Here’s the Latest

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 13:39:36 GMT

U.S. commodity markets were down to start the week in Sunday night trade as the markets digested the latest tariff announcement by President Donald Trump. On Saturday, President Trump threatened to impose 30% tariffs on Mexico and the European Union starting on August 1. The announcement came after a string of new tariff threats last week, as the Trump administration’s deadline for trade deals came due.

On Monday, President Trump continued with tariff talk, saying he would implement “severe tariffs” on Russia unless a peace deal is reached with Ukraine within 50 days.

He provided few details on how they would be implemented but described them as 100% secondary tariffs, meaning they would target Russia’s trading partners in an effort to isolate Moscow in the global economy.

The latest tariff threats weren’t good news for farmers looking to price fertilizer for fall, as StoneX Group says Russia is the United States’ top destination for both urea and UAN imports. StoneX points out Russia’s market chair has “grown substantially in recent years.”

Monday’s news follows a week where many anticipated trade deals. Instead, President Trump made a series of announcements with new tariffs. The new tariffs on Mexico and the European Union, which Trump announced Saturday, capped off a week of sweeping tariff threats.

Earlier in the week, Trump warned of a possible:

50% tariff on all copper imports
50% tariff on all goods from Brazil
35% tariff on Canadian goods
25% tariff on goods from Japan
25% tariff on imports from South Korea
200% tariff on imported pharmaceuticals

The positive side of the announcements is the Trump administration says any products covered under the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement (UMCA) won’t face the new tariffs.

President Trump also sent letters to both Japan and South Korea last week, saying their goods will be taxed at 25% starting August 1st.

The President posted the two letters he sent to those countries’ leaders on his Truth Social site. In the letter to South Korea, he stated when it comes to Korea’s tariff and non-tariff polices and trade barriers, the relationship between the two countries has been far from reciprocal. He added the 25% tariff was far less than what he says is needed to eliminate a trade deficit disparity.

The letter to Japan added if Japanese companies decide to build or manufacture a product within the U.S., there will be no tariffs. Japanese and U.S. negotiators have been working for several weeks to try and reach a deal.

Lack of Progress Impacts Commodity Prices
The lack of trade announcements last week was just one factor that caused corn prices to tank, according to AgMarket.net’s Matt Bennett. While rain in the upper Corn Belt was also bearish for the markets, little to no movement on trade is also pressuring prices.

“We had no trade announcements, and then we continued to talk about tariffs. The unfortunate reality right now is it appears the administration is playing the long game, trying to get people to come to the table with better trade deals than what we currently have seen. But it certainly isn’t doing any favors for the corn market,” Bennett said on U.S. Farm Report this weekend. “I think something like a big trade agreement certainly could tilt the tide more in the favor of the corn market moving higher. Until you get that, with weather being as good as what it is, there’s nothing there.”

It’s not all bearish, though. Arlan Suderman of StoneX Group says the 50% tariff on Brazil is actually bullish for beef.

“We already have a shortage of protein in America with the cattle herd being shrinking over recent years because of lingering drought in the western half of the country, and supplies are tight. We’re just getting to the point of trying to rebuild those supplies, which holding back heifers, tightens up the supply of meat even more. We’re feeding to record-high carcass weights to try to fill the void. We’re increasing imports to record levels. Brazil is the primary supplier of those imports: 27% of our imports come from Brazil in the first five months of the year, according to the latest data we have available, that’s 666 million pounds. That’s 4% of consumption,” Suderman says.

If you think 4% doesn’t sound like a big deal, Suderman says it is - especially considering meat demand in the U.S. has turned out to be inelastic.

“We’ve been shifting from a starch-based diet more heavily toward protein-based. And as the prices go up, we’re actually increasing demand for beef and the other proteins - but we don’t have the supply of it. I think that could be a real problem going forward for the meat industry and the meat supply. We will have to find somewhere else to get that meat,” Suderman says.

Are Trade Deals Close?

While President Trump initially stated he had reached trade agreements with 200 countries, only a few have been officially announced. These include deals with China, the United Kingdom, and Vietnam, however. Negotiations with other countries are ongoing, with the administration extending the deadline for tariff-related negotiations to August 1.

The European Union says it was working on sealing a trade deal with the U.S. by the end of this month, and the European Commission president says the EU was working closely with the Trump administration to reach a deal.

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

Thu, 10 Jul 2025 02:16:37 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

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 21:55:31 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.

Your Next Read: Open Heifers Explained: What You Need to Consider to Increase Preg Rates

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

Wed, 18 Jun 2025 18:59:36 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

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 13:00:12 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

Secretary Rollins Announces $21 Million Investment to Renovate Fruit Fly Production Facility

Thu, 29 May 2025 16:18:32 GMT

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins shared an update this week on USDA’s ongoing partnership with Mexico to combat New World screwworm (NWS). As of May 11 , USDA has suspended Mexican cattle, horse and bison imports because NWS was found in Mexico within 700 miles of the border.

Rollins announced Tuesday USDA is investing $21 million to renovate an existing fruit fly production facility in Metapa, Mexico, to further the long-term goal of eradicating NWS. When operational, the facility will produce 60 million to 100 million additional sterile NWS flies weekly to push the population further south in Mexico. Given the geographic spread of NWS, this additional production capacity will be critical to USDA’s response.

Also on Tuesday, Rollins had a call with her Mexico counterpart, Secretary Julio Berdegué, to discuss the ongoing NWS threat and actions taken by both countries to contain the threat south of the U.S. border.

“Our partnership with Mexico is crucial in making this effort a success,” Rollins says. “We are continuing to work closely with Mexico to push NWS away from the United States and out of Mexico. The investment I am announcing today is one of many efforts my team is making around the clock to protect our animals, our farm economy and the security of our nation’s food supply.”

Current restrictions on live animal imports from Mexico remain in place, and as previously announced, USDA will continue to evaluate the current suspension every 30 days.

The USDA press release says the agency and its partners have used sterile insect technique, or SIT, along with other strategies, such as intense surveillance and import controls, for decades to eradicate and effectively keep NWS at bay. Currently, U.S.-supported sterile insect rearing and dispersal operations in Mexico and Central America have been operating at full production capacity, with up to 44 flights a week releasing 100 million sterile flies.

False NWS Report Affects Market

On Tuesday, cattle markets reacted strongly to what USDA says was a false report claiming NWS had been found in the U.S. The erroneous report claimed it had been detected in Missouri.

USDA says if NWS is detected in the U.S, it will rapidly respond in coordination with state partners to eliminate it.

How to Detect NWS

What should producers be looking for? Officials say livestock owners should inspect animals for wounds and larvae within the wounds. Clinical signs include head shaking, loss of appetite, a foul smell (similar to decay), the presence of fly larvae and isolation. If larvae are detected, they must be reported to state officials.

To learn more about NWS, see the newly updated Texas A&M AgriLife NWS fact sheet .

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

The Surprising Link Between Cattle, Cocaine and the Screwworm’s Comeback

Tue, 20 May 2025 18:13:38 GMT

The New World Screwworm (NWS), a parasitic fly once eradicated from North and Central America through decades of coordinated effort by governments and livestock producers, is making a troubling return — this time through a backdoor few anticipated: narco-funded cattle ranching. In parts of Central America, illegal ranching on protected lands has become a front for drug trafficking and money laundering. The ripple effects of this trend now threaten U.S. cattle producers with the resurgence of a deadly livestock pest.

The Screwworm Fly

The screwworm fly is incredibly damaging to livestock operations. It lays its eggs in even the smallest wounds where they grow into screw-shaped larvae that eat their hosts alive. If left untreated, a screwworm infestation can kill a cow in seven to 14 days. The cost to producers of monitoring for the fly, treating animals and losing animals to the fly was enormous. In the 1950s, screwworm infections cost American ranchers up to $200 million per year, equivalent to nearly $1.8 billion in today’s dollars.

Raymond C. Bushland (standing) and Edward F. Knipling (seated at microscope).

(World Food Prize Foundation)

So you can imagine everyone’s excitement when scientists discovered they could eradicate the fly with the sterilized insect technique (SIT). Raymond Bushland and Edward F. Knipling discovered that the female screwworm fly only mates with one male, while the male tries to mate with as many females as possible. The two scientists developed a technique of sterilizing male flies and releasing them in the wild to reduce the number of eggs and larvae. Ranchers worked closely with scientists, their local veterinarians and government agencies to identify infestations, treat them, and release sterilized male flies in their region. Over time, the fly was eradicated from the U.S., then Mexico, then all of the neighboring countries in Central America down to Panama.

Since 2006, the U.S. and Panama together have maintained a barrier zone of sterile male flies to prevent wild screwworm flies from South America from reinfesting Central and North America. At the same time, USAID staff helped maintain the barrier by working with local ranchers and veterinarians in Mexico and Central America. Their job was to monitor for the screwworm and ensure outbreaks were treated immediately to prevent further spread of the flies.

But the barrier is beginning to break now. According to USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), “In 2023, NWS detections in Panama exploded from an average of 25 cases per year to more than 6,500 cases in one year. Since then, screwworm has been detected in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Mexico, north of the biological barrier that’s successfully contained this pest to South America for decades.” Understanding the reasons why this is happening is critical to finding another long-term solution.

Current detection locations from USDA APHIS.

(USDA APHIS)

Cattle, Cocaine and Conservation Zones

At the heart of this issue is the rise of “narco-ranching.” Drug traffickers in countries like Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua purchase land, or more often move into biosphere reserves, clear forests and run cattle herds to launder profits from the drug trade. These cattle are smuggled northward through Mexico, bypassing health inspections and veterinary oversight.

Insight Crime’s 14-month-long investigation found that the illegal cattle market is a convenient way for drug traffickers to move their product north to the U.S., which continues to be the world’s largest consumer of cocaine. It’s also an excellent way to launder money and diversify their income sources by controlling land and timber resources that they can sell for additional income.

The illegal cattle trade is also fueled by Mexico’s domestic demand for beef and the growing global market as well. This creates an incentive for ranchers — legal and illegal alike — to scale up operations, even at the cost of forest loss and disease risk. Narco-ranchers can easily sell their cattle into this growing market, blending them with legitimate stock and bypassing the biosecurity checks that were key to screwworm eradication decades ago. The NWS thrives in these unsupervised conditions.

U.S. Funding Cuts and the Breakdown of Preventive Systems

The U.S. once played a central role in preventing problems like this. Through USAID and the USDA, it partnered with Central American governments on eradication programs, border inspections and sustainable rural development.

But with the start of the Trump administration, funding cuts have undermined these systems:

USAID anti-drug programs in Colombia and Peru have been suspended or reduced, withdrawing support for legal rural industries and crop substitution. (AP News)
In Colombia, over 80 programs connected to peacebuilding and anti-coca strategies were shut down in early 2025. (Reuters)
Funding and coordination around veterinary inspection and vector control — key to screwworm surveillance — have also dwindled, leaving gaps at exactly the time smuggling is expanding.

These funding cuts have eroded local alternatives to illicit economies, strengthened criminal control of remote territories and opened new routes for screwworm resurgence.

Implications for U.S. Ranchers and the USDA’s Response

Today, Texas and other border states remain at risk from reinfestation, particularly if infected animals cross undetected. Wildlife — especially white-tailed deer, feral hogs and stray dogs — could serve as hidden hosts, complicating containment. And as seen in a recent case in Chiapas, Mexico, authorities can be slow to detect outbreaks until the flies have already spread.

The Chiapas outbreak caused the U.S. to suspend live cattle imports from Mexico on Nov. 22, 2024. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins lifted that suspension on Feb. 1 after implementing new inspection protocols. The U.S. also coordinated with Mexico to begin aerial drops of sterilized male flies in outbreak areas and areas of concern. On May 11, Rollins reinstated the suspension. The suspensions are subject to monthly reviews, with USDA emphasizing the importance of containment and eradication efforts in Mexico to ensure the safety of U.S. livestock.

Here’s what it could mean for the U.S. cattle industry and consumers:

Supply Chain Disruptions. Mexico has historically been a substantial supplier of feeder cattle to the U.S., with annual imports averaging over 1 million head. The sudden halt in imports disrupts feedlot operations, particularly in border states like Texas and Arizona, where producers rely on a steady influx of Mexican cattle to maintain production levels. This disruption forces feedlot operators to seek alternative sources, often at higher costs.

Increased Operational Costs. With the suspension in place, feedlot operators must procure cattle from domestic sources, which could be limited due to existing herd sizes and regional availability. This scarcity can drive up the prices of feeder cattle, increasing operational costs for producers, according to Brownfield Ag News .

Rising Consumer Prices. The U.S. is reliant on Mexican cattle imports to meet domestic demand. In 2024 alone, the U.S. imported over 2 million head of cattle, approximately 1.25 million of which came from Mexico, USDA data shows. The combination of disrupted supply chains and increased operational costs contributes to rising beef prices for consumers. Analysts predict that if the suspension continues, consumers could see noticeable price hikes at grocery stores and restaurants by summer 2025, according to Parriva .

Compounding Factors: The suspension exacerbates existing challenges in the beef industry, such as declining cattle inventories and increased production costs. For instance, Tyson Foods reported a $258 million loss in the second quarter of 2025, attributing part of the loss to reduced cattle supplies and increased costs, according to Straight Arrow News .

Market Volatility: The uncertainty surrounding the duration of the import suspension contributes to market volatility, affecting futures prices and planning for producers and retailers alike.

A Policy Link Often Ignored

This is not simply a story of pests or parasites — it is a case study in how interconnected drug policy, rural development and environmental security really are.

By cutting U.S. support for forest protection, Indigenous land rights and alternative economies in Latin America , we’ve created conditions where narco-networks flourish —and the tools to fight old enemies like screwworm have been quietly dismantled.

The reemergence of the NWS isn’t just a veterinary concern — it’s a warning. As forest ecosystems collapse, Indigenous communities are displaced and cattle laundering spreads unchecked, U.S. ranchers and farmers are left vulnerable to a preventable threat.

Reinvesting in international partnerships, sustainable development and biosecurity programs isn’t charity — it’s strategic self-preservation.

Kathy Voth is founder, editor and publisher of On Pasture .

Your Next Read: Secretary Rollins Takes On a Global Agenda for U.S. Agriculture

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

Tue, 13 May 2025 20:26:18 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

Future of U.S. Red Meat: Short-Term Pain for Long-Term Gain?

Wed, 07 May 2025 20:26:06 GMT

The fallout from China’s decision to cancel 12,300 metric tons of U.S. pork produced for China has resulted in a massive ripple effect across the entire red meat industry.

“There’s a lot of moving parts with this whole situation with China,” Dan Halstrom, president and CEO of the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) told AgriTalk’s Chip Flory. “First of all, there’s a lot of jostling that goes on in a normal environment from one week to the next. So, that in and of itself is not that abnormal.”

But we all know there’s a lot going on right now when it comes to tariffs. With an inbound duty of 172% on U.S. pork going into China, and beef not much better at 147%, business is shut off for all practical purposes.

“Part of that jostling on the reports has to do with the question of will the vessels arrive in time before the magic date where the duties go even higher?” Halstrom says. “We’re in a situation that’s extremely volatile, but for all practical purposes on pork and beef, the business that was going into China has now been deployed and diverted to other markets or even here to our domestic market.”

Do We Need China?
Halstrom says it’s not easy to move pork and beef variety meats . Although some of that product can be diverted to other markets like Mexico, which is the second largest market for U.S. pork variety meats, there’s still some cuts like hind feet that don’t have a destination anywhere else — and certainly not at the price that China pays.

“The overriding problem a lot of people forget about is, ‘Yeah, you might be able to sell a lot of this product somewhere else, but the price will be lower.’ The reason it’s lower is you’ve got one of the major buyers in the global market that’s not on the playing field,” Halstrom says. “Any time you have less buyers, your price is going to be lower. And that’s what we’re dealing with today on a variety of products.”

Global demand for U.S. red meat has never been better – even in China, Halstrom adds.

“The problem in China has nothing to do with demand for U.S. beef and pork,” he says. “This is a political situation. What we’re picking up (we don’t have any inside track knowledge here), is if it was up to the trade, business would be going today because the trade is demanding our product. They do not want shortages of food in general, specifically protein.”

In that regard, Halstrom says the U.S. has some leverage. He believes there is a real effort taking place to get things improved from where they are today. And from his perspective, that couldn’t come fast enough.

Can Mexico Save Us?
Flory points out how a tomato trade issue with Mexico could turn into an issue for meat producers.

“Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum says if there are tariffs on tomatoes from Mexico into the U.S., she might be targeting chicken and pork,” Flory says.

Halstrom explains this is tough news for the U.S. pork industry as Mexico is its largest market by far, making up about 30% of its global exports and bringing in over $2.6 billion last year.

“We do have a little bit of history here,” he says. “Back in 2018, we went about 10 months where Mexico had put an incremental duty of 20% on U.S. pork cuts. By our estimation, that cost the industry easily at least $1 billion in lost revenue.”

Chad Leman, an Illinois pig farmer, told Flory in AgriTalk’s Farmer Forum on May 7 that the U.S. can’t let this happen again.

“Just think what a BLT sandwich is going to be if we keep arguing about bacon and tomatoes? We can’t mess with this,” Leman says. “In all seriousness, we’ve got a couple of months to work this out.”

Leman says we can’t afford to mess with exports to Mexico when it comes to pork, and Halstrom couldn’t agree more.

One difference between what happened in 2018 and what’s happening today is that there’s a new competitor in the wings: Brazil.

“Today, Brazil has a zero-duty agreement with Mexico,” Halstrom says. “They do not have a free-trade agreement, but they do have a zero-duty on pork going into Mexico. I cannot overstate the importance of this threat in this regard.”

But both Leman and Halstrom say the positive is that President Sheinbaum has been collaborative, pragmatic and calm through it all. They are optimistic agreement can happen.

U.S. Red Meat Can Win
“The heavy lifting is being done,” Leman says. “I know it’s concerning to a number of farmers, but it’s nice to have trade back in the national conversation. We haven’t had any trade talks for the last number of years, and now we’re talking trade again. As always with this administration, there’s a lot of noise trying to figure out where it’s headed. But, that also brings some volatility to these markets, which, if played correctly, can be beneficial to us.”

There’s no question the potential is there, Halstrom says. It may be rocky at the moment, but he believes the outcome could be positive.

“If we were on a level playing field with all these countries, we wouldn’t know what to do with all the business,” Halstrom says. “I’m not just speaking for us, but for agriculture in general. The potential is phenomenal, but it is pretty volatile at the moment while we wait.”

Your next read: Panic Slowly: China’s Cancellation of 12,000 Tons of U.S. Pork Sends Loud Message

Mexico Takes Additional Measures to Help Fight New World Screwworm

Thu, 01 May 2025 18:11:39 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.

Your next read: Streamline Spring Cattle Processing with These 3 Stress-Reducing Steps

Mexico Will Send More Water to Texas to Make Up Treaty Shortfall, USDA Says

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 13:09:26 GMT

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Monday that Mexico would increase its water shipments to Texas to help make up a shortfall under a 1944 treaty that outlines water-sharing between the countries.

U.S. officials and lawmakers have complained that Mexico’s failure to meet its obligations under the treaty is harming Texas farmers.

Mexico has argued that it is under drought conditions that have strained the country’s water resources.

“After weeks of negotiations with Mexican cabinet officials alongside the Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, we secured an agreement to give Texas producers the water they need to thrive. While this is a significant step forward, we welcome Mexico’s continued cooperation to support the future of American agriculture,” Rollins said in a statement.

🚨In President Trump’s first 100 days, we have secured an agreement with Mexico alongside @DeputySecState for an immediate transfer of water from international reservoirs to Texas farmers.

This will meet the immediate needs of American farmers and ranchers, and sets the stage…
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) April 28, 2025

Earlier this month, Reuters reported that the water issue had emerged as a possible new front in trade negotiations between the two countries.

The water treaty requires Mexico to send 1.75 million acre-feet of water to the U.S. from the Rio Grande every five years.

Mexico will now “transfer water from international reservoirs and increase the U.S. share of the flow in six of Mexico’s Rio Grande tributaries through the end of the current five-year water cycle,” which ends in October, said a USDA statement.

My gratitude to President Trump and Secretary Rollins. They have delivered as promised for our farmers. Mexico will meet its treaty obligations and provide south Texas water as required.
— Sid Miller (@MillerForTexas) April 29, 2025

State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce in a statement thanked Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum “for her personal involvement in facilitating cooperation across multiple levels of her government to establish a unified path to addressing this ongoing priority.”

Mexico’s government released its own statement later on Monday saying it would implement “a series of measures aimed at mitigating potential shortfalls in water deliveries” including immediate water transfers as well as during the upcoming rainy season.

“All of these actions have as their fundamental premise the assurance of water supplies for human consumption for the Mexican populations that depend on the waters of the Rio Grande,” the statement said.

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