It’s unclear when the border will reopen to cattle trade due to New World Screwworm

The southern border in Mexico and Arizona remains closed while officials work to stop New World Screwworm, but the cattle industry is eager to get it back open.

Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller says there is no clear timeframe for cattle trade to resume.

“You know, I get that question a lot, and they don’t have anything definite. I can tell you, when we successfully stop the advance of the screwworm fly, for, say, 60 days, and we see it pushing back down, we probably open it up. Now, then, there is a possibility that we could open it up in November, December, or January, in the dead of winter. That’s actually when we get most of our feeder cattle in from Mexico.”

Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins will be in Austin, Texas this morning at 11:30 Central to make a big announcement regarding New World Screwworm.

Related Stories
Cattle imports from Mexico remain stalled amid the New World screwworm outbreak. At the same time, Tyson closures add pressure on Nebraska producers and markets ahead of the USDA’s upcoming Cattle on Feed Report.
The Lexington shutdown pushes national slaughter capacity utilization nearer long-run averages, underscoring how tight cattle supplies are reshaping packer operations.
American soybean and corn leaders, along with Canada’s AgriFood sector, testified before the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office in support of the trade pact between the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.
Texas livestock producers face a heightened biosecurity threat as New World screwworm detections in northern Mexico coincide with FDA approval of the first topical treatment.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

The FAO Food Price Index for November fell by more than 1 percent in November, marking the third straight month of declines.
Rep. Michelle Fischbach shares her appreciation for rural communities and outlines how the Working Families Tax Cut is aimed to support farm families on RFD-TV’s Champions of Rural America.
Farm CPA Paul Neiffer has developed a detailed calculator to help producers navigate the program’s requirements. He joined us on Thursday’s Market Day Report to explain how it works.
Agriculture Shows
Hosted by Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady and RFD News Markets Specialist Tony St. James, Commodity Talk delivers expert insight into the day’s ag commodity markets just before the CME opens. Only on RFD-TV and Rural Radio SiriusXM Channel 147.
A look at the news, weather and commodities headlines that drove agriculture markets in the past week.
Everything profits from prairie. Soil, air, water — and all kinds of life! Learn how you can improve your land with prairie restoration, cover crops and prairie strips, while growing your bottom line.
From soil to harvest. Top Crop is an all-new series about four of the best farmers in the world—Dan Luepkes, of Oregan, Illinois; Cory Atley, of Cedarville, Ohio; Shelby Fite, of Jackson Center, Ohio; Russell Hedrick, of Hickory, North Carolina—reveals what it takes for them to make a profitable crop. It all starts with good soil, patience, and a strong planter setup.