U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced yesterday the Santa Teresa, NM, port of entry is expected to reopen Thursday, September 24 for cattle imports from Mexico after more than a year of closure to help prevent the spread of New World screwworm. This is part of a phased plan that began with the reopening of the Douglas, AZ, port August 24.
According to Rollins, the Santa Teresa port is the busiest livestock inspection port along the U.S.-Mexico border, accounting for 43% of Mexican cattle imports during the past five years. She said the reopening remains contingent on officials determining all safety protocols are working as expected. Cattle will be inspected in Chihuahua, MX, before arriving at the port and will undergo a full USDA inspection before entering the U.S. The process includes treatment protocols, traceability measures and additional inspections.
The livestock port at Columbus, NM, could be the next to reopen if operations in Santa Teresa and Douglas continue successfully. The Douglas port has processed about 5,000 head of livestock since reopening, with roughly 1,000 cattle now crossing daily.