REDFIELD, Iowa (DTN) -- On Wednesday, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited the Douglas, Arizona, Port of Entry which is set to be the first to reopen to livestock trade from Mexico on Aug. 24. During the visit she announced USDA will invest $25 million toward opening a new New World screwworm (NWS) sterile fly dispersal facility in Arizona.

Trade of cattle, bison and horses with Mexico has been closed since May 2025 due to NWS. The phased reopening will start at the Arizona port and, if no problems arise, it will be followed by opening the ports at Santa Teresa, New Mexico, and Columbus, New Mexico. All animals entering the U.S. through these ports will undergo a full USDA inspection to ensure they are free of any signs of NWS.

NWS CASES PROMPT SWEEPING INSPECTION PROTOCOLS

The first U.S. case of NWS was detected on June 3, 2026, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service dashboard. Since then, 41 cases of NWS have been confirmed in Texas and one in New Mexico.

The proposed Arizona sterile fly dispersal facility would help provide protection on the Southwestern border. A dispersal facility is also located in Edinburg, Texas. The main NWS sterile fly production facility is located in Panama, and one recently opened in Mexico. Construction continues for a production facility at Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, which is expected to open in 2027.

"Protecting American agriculture begins with protecting our borders and ensuring we have the strongest animal health safeguards anywhere in the world. The Douglas Port of Entry will reopen only because USDA has implemented one of the most rigorous livestock inspection protocols in history, giving us confidence we can safely resume this critical trade while ensuring cattle crossing the border are free from New World screwworm," said Rollins.

The announcement is part of the long-term strategy to push the NWS fly back south into Mexico and ultimately eradicate it from North America. Rollins said working together with partners in Arizona will help strengthen the infrastructure needed to protect American ranchers for years to come.

USDA will work closely with the Arizona Department of Agriculture and state leaders to identify the specific location and operational plan for the facility in Douglas, Arizona. The facility could be opened in as few as several months depending on the selected site.

ARIZONA LEADERS WELCOME USDA'S SWIFT ACTION

Arizona Rep. Juan Ciscomani, R-Ariz., joined Rollins at the Douglas Port of Entry and said he was thankful for USDA listening to local agricultural leaders who expressed the need for a sterile fly dispersal facility in Arizona to help fight the threat. "I'm grateful to Secretary Rollins for listening to Arizona's producers and delivering on it. Her responsiveness and willingness to act swiftly on commonsense solutions has made a real difference," he said.

Under USDA's phased reopening plan announced last week, the department said each animal will receive multiple veterinary inspections, including by USDA veterinarians before entering the United States. Any animal failing to meet Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service import criteria will be denied entry, and detection of NWS would immediately halt imports through the facility.

Over the past year, APHIS and Arizona state personnel have been surveilling fly traps, submitting nearly 1,000 flies, and none have been identified as NWS. They have also conducted coordinated exercises, planning, training and outreach to help ensure they are ready to respond if the pest were to become present in the region.

USDA website with all information about NWS: 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: https://www.dtnpf.com/….

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

Follow her on social platform X @JennCattleGal.

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