The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) responded to the latest announcement that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is again closing southern ports of entry to shipments of cattle due to the detection of New World screwworm in Veracruz, Mexico. USDA discovered this new case in northern Veracruz, indicating that screwworm has traveled 160 miles northward of the location where sterile flies are currently being dropped.
“A key part of USDA’s strategy for protecting American agriculture is continuously monitoring conditions on the ground,” said NCBA CEO Colin Woodall. “Secretary Rollins has been working to balance the economic needs of U.S. cattle producers who rely on imports while at the same time protecting the overall U.S. cattle herd. The New World screwworm’s northward movement jeopardizes the safety of American agriculture, which is why Secretary Rollins paused cattle movement again until we can push the screwworm further from our border.”
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