FORT WORTH, Texas (July 24, 2026) — Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association President Stephen Diebel today issued the following statement after U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced plans to resume live cattle imports at the port of entry in Douglas, Arizona, within the next 30 days, followed by the phased reopening of two additional ports of entry in New Mexico:
“Our members need the ability to maintain commerce, but they also need assurance that every reasonable safeguard is in place to reduce the risk of New World screwworm. USDA’s decision to conditionally reopen limited ports of entry to cattle imports through a phased approach reflects many months of work by USDA, state partners, and cattle raisers to strengthen the nation’s response to New World screwworm.
The temporary closure of the border provided valuable time to strengthen surveillance, expand sterile fly production and distribution, and implement protocols needed to manage New World screwworm. That work has laid the foundation for this measured, phased reopening.
Our priority has always been twofold: protecting the U.S. cattle herd and wildlife while ensuring cattle raisers can continue to operate and markets can function. TSCRA will continue closely monitoring the situation and will not hesitate to urge the immediate closure of these ports should science indicate the risk has changed.
We want to thank Secretary Rollins, our federal and state partners, and our members for their continued commitment to this issue, and we look forward to continuing the fight alongside them to eradicate this pest.”
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