Mexico to restart US cattle exports as sterile fly releases begin
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that sterile flies will be released within about two weeks, moving from north to south, to combat the New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax). The production plant in Chiapas is already operating, initially outputting 28 million flies per week with a target of 100 million by the end of 2026, and a new strain is under review by Cofepris.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has scheduled a phased reopening of southern border livestock ports, starting with Douglas, Arizona on 24 August 2026, followed by Santa Teresa and Columbus in New Mexico. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins sent a formal letter to Sheinbaum confirming the decision. Mexico will resume cattle exports in the last weeks of August, beginning at the Agua Prieta crossing in Sonora and later adding two points in Chihuahua.
The coordinated effort among Mexico, the United States and Panama is intended to satisfy U.S. sanitary requirements, revive the livestock trade, and offset the more‑than‑$1 billion economic loss caused by the year‑long export suspension.
Entities: Brooke Rollins · Chiapas sterile‑fly production facility · Claudia Sheinbaum · New World screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax) · U.S. Department of Agriculture
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 4 SOURCES] US Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins sent a letter to President Sheinbaum confirming the cattle import reopening. (Letter referenced in multiple Mexican statements.)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Mexico will resume cattle exports to the US in late August, initially via the Agua Prieta crossing in Sonora, then two additional points in Chihuahua. (Sheinbaum’s announcement.)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Chiapas sterile‑fly plant is operational and aims to produce 28 million flies per week initially, scaling to 100 million by late 2026. (Multiple reports cite the plant’s output goals.)
- [● 4 SOURCES] USDA will reopen the Douglas, Arizona cattle port on 24 August 2026, followed by Santa Teresa and Columbus, New Mexico. (USDA announcement.)
- [● 5 SOURCES] The sterile fly release will be carried out from north to south across Mexico. (Sheinbaum said the program will move northward then southward.)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The sterile‑fly program is part of a trilateral agreement among Mexico, the United States and Panama. (Sheinbaum cited the joint effort.)
- [● 2 SOURCES] The cattle‑export suspension caused economic losses exceeding $1 billion. (Industry estimates reported in loss‑impact articles.)
- [● 5 SOURCES] Mexico will begin releasing sterile flies within two weeks to combat the New World screwworm. (Sheinbaum announced a two‑week launch of sterile‑fly releases to fight the screwworm.)