Santa Teresa livestock crossing waits for USDA to reopen
SANTA TERESA, N.M. (KVIA) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the reopening of some livestock international crossings, allowing limited cattle imports from Mexico amid New World screwworm concerns. USDA also announced the move for several border crossings after the parasitic fly halted the movement of cattle between the U.S. and Mexico since last year.
The situation raised concerns not just with cattle industry leaders, but officials on both sides of the border too.
Friday, the USDA announced it will open some borders in phases, including the one in Santa Teresa, New Mexico. It will first open a port in Douglas, Arizona, on Aug. 24 while initiating steps to reopen the one in Santa Teresa.
Livestock crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border, including the one in Santa Teresa, N.M., are set for a phased reopening, with Santa Teresa set to resume operations in late September.
The crossings were closed last year by U.S. and Mexican authorities to prevent the spread of the New World screwworm, a parasitic fly that lays eggs in animals.
The New World screwworm lays eggs that hatch into maggots, which feed on the living flesh of animals, prompting the widespread halt of cattle imports and exports.
The Santa Teresa POE, the largest in North America, typically handles more than 500,000 head of cattle annually. This cattle trade through the Santa Teresa port represents an economic value of between $1.2 and $1.4 billion per year.
The USDA announced the phased reopening last Friday, with cattle trade in Arizona starting first. Columbus and Teresa in New Mexico are scheduled to follow in late September.
Daniel Manzanares, the Port Director at the Teresa facility, described feeling “pretty down about it” during the closure.
He noted that his staff at the port was reduced from 38 employees to four.
“I feel for them, for their families; we all have bills to pay,” Manzanares said.
Manzanares emphasized the significance of the crossing to the industry; he stated that for ranchers in the northern states, the ability to export is “a huge deal.”
However, he added that exporters must meet “strict protocol of USDA to be able to state this certain health status.”
Manzanares also expressed optimism about the future, saying, “But I’m heartened to hear that we’re going to be, hopefully by the end of September, open again here. And that will really reinvigorate the different industries here in El Paso.”
Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller advocated for the reopening.
Miller said, “We sent that message to USDA and they finally listened.” He also supports the gradual approach, stating, “So they’re going to open it gradually, which I agree with. We don’t want to just flood the market and crash the market.”
Both Director Manzanares and Commissioner Miller acknowledged the potential for future setbacks if the screwworm reappears in the borderland.
NMDA Secretary Witte also warned that “if we start seeing a lot of unexplained movements and we’re moving into those states, that’ll really cause a pause. I think in the, in the reopening.”
Manzanares added that combating the screwworm requires international cooperation.
“So we have to combat it in both nations by producing these facilities that produce a lot more flies. We need about 400, 500 million a week produced to knock it out,” said Manzanares.
Commissioner Miller also highlighted a broader issue concerning the national cattle supply.
“But even if we open everything up, it’s not enough cattle to really change the inventory a lot,” said Commissioner Miller. “Across the United States, we’re down so many; we really need these cattle in the United States.”
Santa Teresa and Columbus, N.M., are set to resume livestock crossings in late September, as the phased reopening will require continued adherence to USDA protocols and ongoing vigilance against the New World screwworm.
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