U.S. Agriculture officials are planning to reopen a New Mexico crossing for livestock trade next week after it was shuttered amid concerns over New World screwworm, the agricultural department said. Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the intent to resume operations while speaking at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture conference in Portland, Maine.
Rollins said she intends to travel to New Mexico on Wednesday night and signaled an imminent restart. "We’re getting ready to reopen that New Mexico port next week," she said during her remarks.
The move follows a phased resumption of cross-border livestock trade with Mexico that the USDA began in late August. The staged reopening started at the port in Douglas, Arizona, after several months of border closures driven by fears about the spread of the screwworm parasite.
According to the USDA, there are currently two active screwworm infestations, both located in Texas - one found in a horse and another in a dog. The agency has emphasized monitoring and readiness to respond to new threats.
Rollins pointed to recent operations in Douglas as evidence that controlled trade can proceed under close supervision. "What you all have proven for the last 20 plus days in Douglas is that this is manageable and doable, and the minute we believe there’s another threat, we shut it down again," she said.
The announcement comes as the USDA balances efforts to restore cross-border livestock commerce with continued vigilance over animal health risks. The phased approach used so far began in Douglas and is being used as a model for potential reopenings at other ports affected during the months-long disruption.
Sectors affected: Livestock producers, agricultural trade and border commerce, and industries dependent on cross-border movement of animals and related services.