Chicago Mercantile Exchange live cattle and feeder cattle futures fell sharply Monday after the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced late last week that it would begin reopening the border to Mexican cattle imports.
The USDA suspended imports more than a year ago in an effort to prevent the spread of New World screwworm, a destructive livestock pest. That move further tightened already limited U.S. cattle supplies and contributed to record-high beef prices.
According to an online post, USDA said the phased reopening would allow cattle imports to gradually resume, with as many as 80,000 head per month eventually expected to enter the United States.
"We will soon safely deliver cattle imports to the states, with estimates of up to 80k head per month through this phased-in approach," the agency said.
According to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, the USDA states that the phased reopening of the southern livestock ports will begin on August 24, 2026, when the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry reopens to cattle shipments – provided that Mexico continues to meet the requirements outlined in the Joint Action Plan. At the same time, the agency will begin preparing for the eventual reopening of the Santa Teresa and Columbus, New Mexico, ports.
USDA officials emphasized that all animals entering the U.S. through designated ports will receive a thorough inspection to ensure they show no signs of New World screwworm (NWS).
“Protecting the United States from NWS and pushing this pest out of Mexico and back to the Darien Gap is a top priority at USDA and has the full attention of the Trump Administration,” Rollins said. “Closing the southern ports over the past year was a difficult but necessary step to help contain the spread of NWS in Mexico and safeguard the U.S. livestock industry. Thanks to the work of federal, state and local agencies, along with support from industry partners, we’re now in a position to safely reopen the Douglas port and resume the long-standing flow of cattle across the border.”
USDA officials pointed to Sonora and Chihuahua as the two Mexican states best positioned for reopening because of their longstanding animal health programs and track record in disease prevention. While other areas of Mexico have struggled to contain the screwworm and limit both legal and illegal animal movements, USDA said Sonora and Chihuahua have consistently demonstrated strong oversight and disease-control efforts.
- Sonora and Chihuahua are considered the lowest-risk states for New World screwworm because of their robust inspection systems and their distance from the regions of southern Mexico where most cases have been detected.
- The Douglas port will reopen Aug. 24. USDA noted that the closest active screwworm case was detected about 325 miles away on July 22, 2026.
- If the initial reopening goes smoothly and risk assessments remain favorable, USDA will consider reopening the Santa Teresa and Columbus ports to cattle, bison and horse imports.
- The timeline remains flexible and could change depending on Mexico’s progress in meeting key Action Plan goals.
- USDA also said it could pause or halt future reopenings if audits or other monitoring efforts identify increased risk in Sonora or Chihuahua.
Cattle industry reaction to USDA border reopening is mixed
The National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA) welcomed the decision. NCBA CEO Colin Woodall said USDA's aggressive response to NWS, including its five-point plan and broader government efforts, has put the U.S. in a position to in a 'cautious and measured' way.
“This decision will help normalize business for cattle operations throughout the border states and Southern Plains. We appreciate the continued work of USDA to support American producers and the U.S. cattle industry,” Woodhull said in a statement.
The Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and the Meat Institute also backed the reopening plan. Meat Institute President and CEO Julie Anna Potts said the organization supports a careful, phased reopening that balances vigilance with confidence in disease-control measures.
Potts told Agri-Pulse that Mexican cattle imports can help beef processors meet demand at a time when U.S. cattle supplies remain tight.
While there were some longstanding objections to closing the board and limiting Mexican cattle imports, most were tied to competition and trade policy. However, a majority of cattlemen and industry groups hailed the broad push to as a way to address animal-health concerns related to New World screwworm.
R-CALF USA CEO Bill Bullard stated on the group's Facebook page that opening the border now will expose the U.S. to an unnecessary risk of additional NWS infestations.
"Until and unless the U.S. can stop the northward movement of both legal and illegal cattle from Central America, as well as within Mexico, opening the border will incentivize the northward transport of cattle from southern Mexico, where the screwworm remains endemic," Bullard stated. "The border should not be reopened until Mexico eradicates the pest within its borders and can demonstrate that the pest is once again contained in Central America. It is Mexico that failed to maintain the mitigation measures needed to resist the pest. The U.S. should not now assume the risk caused by Mexico's failure."
Continued emphasis on biosecurity
Despite their support, agricultural groups are not advocating for a full, immediate reopening. Industry leaders have generally endorsed USDA's risk-based approach, which limits initial trade to cattle from the lower-risk Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua and requires full USDA inspections of every imported animal.
Jenna Stanton, director of policy and public affairs at the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association, said the decision to reopen the southern border to Mexican cattle is putting short‑term initiatives ahead of long‑term herd health and the expectations of U.S. ranchers.
"If the [USDA] is going to move forward, they must enforce the highest import standards and fully prioritize domestic preparedness (sterile fly production and producer-accessible tools) to keep the threats of NWS spreading at an absolute minimum.”