Tamaulipas cattle exports to U.S. delayed by screwworm threat

The presence of the screwworm (gusano barrenador) has complicated the resumption of cattle exports from Tamaulipas, Mexico, to the United States. According to Antonio Varela Flores, the Secretary of Rural Development, Fisheries, and Aquaculture, the USDA has added the parasite to its sanitary inspection requirements, alongside tuberculosis, brucellosis, and ticks.

Due to these expanded requirements, officials suggest that the normalization of the export cycle may not occur until 2027, as the reopening of the U.S. market is expected to happen gradually, with states like Sonora and Chihuahua potentially preceding Tamaulipas. Currently, cattle remain in pens within the state while producers await a resolution.

In response to the biological threat, the Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas (UAT) has launched an epidemiological containment plan. This institutional response includes training for small and medium-sized producers, epidemiological monitoring through specialized traps, and the use of drones for the precision chemical control of insects using insecticides such as cypermethrin and chlorpyrifos.