REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott met at Moore Air Base in Texas Monday to sign a new memorandum of understanding (MOU) between USDA and the Department of Homeland Security. The agreement formalizes a coordinated federal response to agricultural biosecurity threats -- including New World screwworm (NWS).

During the visit, Rollins toured the construction site for the NWS sterile fly production facility, which is now set to open in spring 2027, seven months ahead of schedule.

"The United States has the strongest food and agriculture system in the world," Rollins said of the MOU. "This new agreement builds upon the National Farm Security Action Plan in partnership with DHS. The MOU further aligns our animal health mission with DHS's border, security, and inspection authorities, so we are better positioned to detect, assess and respond to agricultural threats like New World screwworm."

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin said their job is to safeguard American agriculture from threats abroad, which starts at the border.

In July, Rollins announced a phased reopening of cattle imports from Mexico starting on Aug. 24 at the Douglas, Arizona, port of entry, followed by steps to open ports of entry at Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and Columbus, New Mexico. These ports have been closed since May 2025 due to NWS nearing the border.

The first case of NWS was detected in the U.S. on June 3, 2026, and according to the USDA Animal & Plant Health Inspection Service dashboard, since June 3, they have confirmed 45 cases of NWS in Texas and one in New Mexico. The latest confirmed case was on Aug. 5 in Terrell County, Texas.

MOU COVERS FIVE AREAS OF FOCUS

The agreement covers five core areas designed to strengthen the federal response to agricultural biosecurity threats at and beyond the border. USDA and DHS will deploy unmanned aircraft systems and artificial intelligence to sharpen screening and interdiction at ports of entry, real-time data sharing between agencies to accelerate response from frontline inspections through to broader disease management.

The MOU also formalizes agency roles and expands joint operational capabilities, pairing DHS's enforcement authorities with USDA's technical expertise during high-consequence biosecurity events. Clear protocols for joint training, capacity building, and defined departmental responsibilities are included to ensure both agencies are prepared to respond swiftly to threats targeting the nation's food and agriculture sectors.

Also in the agreement is a commitment to expand research collaboration, including working with DHS Centers of Excellence, aimed at developing next-generation screening, detection and mitigation tools for NWS and other emerging threats.

CATTLE SMUGGLING ADDRESSED

Officials cited the MOU's role in addressing a significant problem of cattle smuggling along the Southern border. An estimated 800,000 head of cattle are smuggled annually from Central America into Mexico, representing roughly $320 million in illegal commerce. Since those animals typically bypass sanitary inspection and traceability systems, they create an issue of threats and potentially diseased livestock moving across borders undetected.

In the news release, USDA said it will work closely with Mexico to ensure only fully documented, legally compliant cattle enter approved U.S. ports of entry -- tightening adherence to import requirements and NWS safeguards.

For more on USDA's NWS prevention and preparedness efforts, visit: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/….

**

Editor's Note: For more DTN coverage of the New World screwworm threat and the response by the government and livestock industry, visit our Spotlight on New World Screwworm page at https://www.dtnpf.com/….

Jennifer Carrico can be reached at jennifer.carrico@dtn.com

Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal

(c) Copyright 2026 DTN, LLC. All rights reserved.