The screwworm fly, Cochliomyia hominivorax. (Iowa State University)
Effective immediately, the USDA said, the agency’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are restricting the imports of live animal commodities originating from or transiting through Mexico.
The suspension will continue on a month-to-month basis, until "a significant window of containment is achieved," the USDA said.
Livestock currently being held for entry into the U.S. will be processed normally, the USDA added, and will be inspected by a port veterinary medical officer and treated to ensure they are not carrying NWS.
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An aerial view of cattle, detained in the pens of the Chihuahua Regional Livestock Union, at the Jeronimo-Santa Teresa border crossing in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico on November 27, 2024. (Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images)
"Secretary Berdegué and I have worked closely on the NWS response; however, it is my duty to take all steps within my control to protect the livestock industry in the United States from this devastating pest," Rollins said of the work she had done with her Mexican counterpart. "The protection of our animals and safety of our nation’s food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance. Once we see increased surveillance and eradication efforts, and the positive results of those actions, we remain committed to opening the border for livestock trade. This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety."
The U.S. and Mexico are taking a three-pronged approach toward achieving the eradication of NWS, which includes field surveillance with education and outreach that ensures prevention, treatment and early detection. The approach also includes controlling animal movement to limit the spread of NWS and sustained sterile insect dispersal.
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This is not the first time the need to eradicate NWS has occurred. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said NWS was eradicated in the U.S. in the 1960s and in Mexico in the 1970s.
However, the eradication of the deadly worm cost billions of dollars and took decades.
Greg Wehner is a breaking news reporter for Fox News Digital.
Story tips and ideas can be sent to Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-shuts-southern-border-livestock-imports-stop-spread-deadly-flies