Mexico, U.S. Advance Talks on Cattle Border Reopening — But No Date Set
Berdegue says progress made with USDA’s Rollins on sterile fly production; NWS Chiapas plant key to lifting restrictions
Mexican Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegue said after a virtual meeting with USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins that while discussions advanced on reopening the U.S. border to Mexican cattle, no target date has yet been set.
Berdegue noted that both governments are focused on strengthening efforts to control the New World screwworm (NWS), a key condition for resuming live cattle exports to the United States. He said Mexico will begin testing modular mobile plants capable of producing up to 20 million additional sterile flies per week, boosting total capacity ahead of the long-delayed reopening.
The minister also confirmed work continues to bring the NWS production plant in Chiapas state fully online, designed to generate 100 million sterile flies weekly.
“We will only be able to get it out of the country once we have the additional 100 million flies,” Berdegue said during President Claudia Sheinbaum’s morning press briefing.
Berdegue’s comments reinforced expectations that the U.S. border reopening for Mexican cattle exports would not occur immediately, as both sides must first demonstrate sufficient screwworm control capacity to ensure animal health safeguards.
