The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) halted imports of live cattle and bison from Mexico due to New World screwworm concerns on November 22, 2024. Drovers reports that feeder cattle imports are expected to slowly resume the week of January 20.

New World screwworms could significantly impact the cattle industry, so the U.S. authorities have been developing protocols to screen incoming animals.

Factors that will influence the pace of the imports include:

  • Implementation of new protocols for facility inspections
  • A seven-day quarantine period after an animal checks
  • Port readiness to restart imports

The suspension of cattle imports from Mexico has reduced the U.S. cattle supply by an estimated 250,000 to 300,000 cattle. This has contributed to higher feeder cattle and calf prices.

Read more about the effort to reopen feeder Cattle imports from Mexico here.