USDA suspends Mexican cattle imports to curb flesh-eating parasite outbreak

Mexican cattle ranchers are grappling with a growing crisis as the New World Screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, spreads through southern regions of the country, raising fears of its arrival in northern border states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has responded by suspending live cattle imports from Mexico for the third time in eight months. The decision, aimed at preventing the spread of the Cochliomyia hominivorax larva, has compounded the financial strain on ranchers already struggling with the effects of a two-year drought [1].

The screwworm, which can invade the tissues of any warm-blooded animal, causes severe lesions and can be fatal if left untreated. Infected animals pose a significant threat to herd health and the broader livestock industry. The USDA has described the pest as a “devastating threat” to the U.S. food supply chain and livestock economy. In response, the agency has launched a campaign to breed and release billions of sterile male flies in Mexico and southern Texas, aiming to disrupt the pest’s reproduction cycle [1].

For ranchers like Martín Ibarra Vargas of Sonora, the suspension of exports has been a major blow. His family, which has raised cattle for generations, has been forced to diversify into beekeeping, sheep farming, and dairy sales — activities that yield far less income than the export of live cattle. With the U.S. market out of reach and domestic prices depressed, ranchers have sold over 35,000 mature cows at a 35% discount compared to their export value. These measures, while necessary for short-term survival, have only added to the financial pressure [1].

Since the initial U.S. import ban in November 2024, more than 2,258 cases of the parasite have been identified in Mexico. The response has included a combination of manual larval removal, wound treatment, and anti-parasite medication. Meanwhile, some ranchers have explored alternative markets, including retail beef sales via high-end butcher shops and potential exports to Japan. However, these options are logistically and economically less viable than the traditional export route to the U.S. [1].

Mexico’s cattle exports to the U.S. were a significant economic driver, generating $1.2 billion in 2024. This year, however, exports have fallen to fewer than 200,000 head of cattle — less than half the historical rate for the same period. The decline highlights the deepening crisis in the sector. Industry experts attribute a 2% drop in Mexico’s cattle inventory last year to the combined impacts of drought and the screwworm outbreak [1].

The situation has also exposed the fragility of Mexico’s cattle industry. While some ranchers are lobbying to differentiate between the health standards in northern export regions and the affected southern areas, the damage to the industry’s reputation and market access has already been significant. For ranchers like Ibarra Vargas, the future is uncertain. With debt mounting, calf populations dwindling, and no clear path to recovery, many fear that younger generations will abandon the family legacy. Ibarra Vargas himself expresses concern that his children no longer see a future in ranching, a sentiment that reflects the broader anxiety in the industry [1].

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Source: [1] Fortune

https://fortune.com/2025/08/05/flesh-eating-parasite-mexico-texas-beef-cattle-meat/