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In December 2024, USDA did not expect Mexican cattle shipments to resume before the year-end holidays. The trade later restarted in phases: USDA confirmed that the Douglas, Arizona, crossing reopened on August 24, 2026. As of USDA APHIS’s October 7, 2026 update, Douglas was open, while Santa Teresa and Columbus remained under consideration.
What USDA’s chief veterinary officer said in December 2024
On December 13, 2024, Reuters reported that USDA Chief Veterinary Officer Rosemary Sifford expected Mexican cattle shipments to resume incrementally after the New Year, with full live-animal movements later. “Shipments will likely resume incrementally after the New Year, with full resumption of live animal movements sometime after that,” Sifford said. The forecast concerned the 2024 holiday season; it was not a statement about current port status. Reuters’ December 13, 2024 report also said USDA had approved $165 million in emergency response funding, following $109.8 million approved the prior year, and relayed a USDA figure of about 95 million sterile flies produced weekly, up from 20 million over the preceding year.
Why shipments were halted and how they restarted
USDA said it halted Mexican cattle and bison shipments in November 2024 after New World screwworm was detected in southern Mexico. On February 1, 2025, APHIS announced that imports were scheduled to resume within days under a pre-clearance arrangement. The protocol called for inspection and treatment in Mexico before cattle went to approved pens, another Mexican check, a final APHIS inspection, and a dip intended to reduce insects and ticks. USDA APHIS’s February 1, 2025 announcement describes that arrangement.
Which U.S.-Mexico cattle crossings are open now?
USDA’s July 24, 2026 announcement laid out a conditional, phased reopening under the Joint Action Plan. It scheduled Douglas, Arizona, to reopen August 24; later openings at Santa Teresa and Columbus depended on Mexico’s progress and assessments after reopening. USDA said every animal entering through the ports would receive a full inspection for signs of screwworm. USDA’s July 24 announcement said the schedule could change depending on adherence to the plan and animal-health risks.
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APHIS confirmed Douglas reopened on August 24. Its October 7, 2026 status update said Santa Teresa and Columbus would be considered after evaluation of the initial reopening and relevant risks. Timing remained flexible, and USDA could pause further steps if risk increased. Accordingly, “the border is open” is too broad: the confirmed reopening covered Douglas, not every cattle crossing.
What safeguards and limits accompanied the phased opening?
USDA described the reopening protocol as science-based and jointly agreed, with overlapping safeguards including pre-export inspection and treatment, checks by Mexican officials and APHIS, and an insect- and tick-control dip. The phased 2026 reopening added tracking and throughput controls. The Associated Press reported that the initial protocol used RFID tags and scanners, with daily crossing limits of 700 cattle, then scheduled to increase to 900 and 1,300 in following weeks. Those were limits reported around the August 2026 opening, not current October quotas. AP also reported 1,937 active screwworm cases in Mexico at that time; that is a dated figure, not a current count. The Associated Press’s August 24, 2026 report covers those implementation details.
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- EXTEND YOUR REACH: Extends reach by 47 inches for improved livestock control and handler safety. Ideal for moving, sorting, loading, and directing cattle, pigs, sheep, and other livestock. Helps improve livestock flow through chutes, alleys, pens, and trailers.
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- HIGH VISIBILITY - The 6.25 inch-wide paddle creates a visual barrier, reinforced by the sound of BBs inside
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- PADDLE LENGTH - This paddle is 48 inches long including the handle.
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- CATTLE SORTING & LIVESTOCK HANDLING – Designed to help direct, move and separate cattle, horses, sheep and other livestock. The highly visible flag helps attract an animal’s attention while extending your reach for controlled handling.
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- Efficient and safe assistance during animal birth with 2 OB handles and available in 30, 45, and 60 inch length chain sizes. Essential tool for safe and successful animal deliveries.
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