NCBA Stands with USDA On Measured Plan to Reopen Key Ports of Entry

WASHINGTON (June 30, 2025) – Today, the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plan to strategically reopenkey ports of entry to shipments of live cattle, bison, and horses. This decision was made by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins following a New World screwworm assessment by USDA staff in Mexico and ongoing conversations between Secretary Rollins and the Mexican Secretary of Agriculture.

“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,” said 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.”
 
NCBA previously supported USDA’s decision to temporarily close the U.S. southern border to shipments of cattle, bison, and horses in May 2025. This temporary measure was intended to give USDA time to assess conditions on the ground in Mexico and to determine the next steps for eradicating this pest. Since that time, USDA has rolled out their five-pronged plan to fight the screwworm, increase surveillance, and stop the spread of the pest in Mexico. USDA also recently sent staff from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to Mexico to gather technical information.  

“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 added. “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.”

–NCBA