Earlier this week USDA announced the strategic reopening of ports to cattle, bison, and equine imports from Mexico.
U.S. Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says that USDA will be on the ground in Mexico and that reopening could start as soon as July 7th at the Douglas Arizona Port Facility.
Oklahoma state veterinarian, Dr. Rod Hall penned an update on New World Screwworm efforts to his own state’s constituents sharing both good and bad news.
He says that the good news is no new cases of the pest in Mexico’s southern states have been discovered since early May.
Also, Mexico is now allowing sterile fly dispersion flight seven days a week.
However, the bad news is that cattle moving from Central America, where New World screwworm is still prevalent, are still moving to feedyards in northern Mexico.
Hall worries that poor mitigation efforts will allow flies to make their way just south of the U.S./Mexico border.
USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance payments could begin this weekend as producers face tight margins, shifting acreage expectations, cattle herd contraction, and growing pressure for a stronger farm safety net.
February 26, 2026 12:11 PM
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Analysts warn the closed U.S.-Mexico border is straining cattle supplies and packing capacity. StoneX and USDA data point to long-term industry shifts.
February 25, 2026 12:37 PM
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Border closures tied to the threat of New World Screwworm continue to stall Mexican fed cattle imports, tightening U.S. feeder cattle supplies over time — triggering feedlot closures that hinder herd rebuilding efforts, threaten the beef supply chain, and shrink production while consumer prices stay elevated.
February 23, 2026 01:40 PM
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Texas Ag Commissioner Sid Miller joins us to discuss the cattle herd rebuild, trade concerns, and how ranchers would define “America First” policy priorities.
February 13, 2026 12:50 PM
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The USDA opened a new sterile fly-dispersal facility at Moore Air Base in South Texas to prevent a potential outbreak of New World screwworm and protect the small U.S. cattle herd.
February 12, 2026 10:47 AM
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RFD NEWS Correspondent Frank McCaffrey was in Mission, Texas, where state and federal officials addressed growers and producers at a round table event hosted at a citrus grower’s facility. He shows us how welcome news was all around.
February 10, 2026 12:05 PM
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