Cattle Trade on the Brink: Mexico and U.S. Seek Agreement Amid Screwworm Crisis
Mexico's agriculture minister aims to negotiate the reopening of the U.S. border to Mexican cattle amid a screwworm outbreak. The parasite has spread into Mexico, impacting relations with the U.S. and the livestock sectors. Discussions will address these issues and potential cooperation.
Next week, Mexico's Agriculture Minister Julio Berdegue is set to travel to Washington to negotiate with U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. The goal is to reopen the U.S. border to Mexican cattle, following closures due to the flesh-eating screwworm outbreak, announced President Claudia Sheinbaum on Thursday.
The screwworm has significantly impacted livestock, moving from Central America into Mexico and straining bilateral relations. The U.S. responded by closing its border to Mexican cattle imports, and Rollins has criticized Mexico's handling of the outbreak. Mexico has since contained the initial infection in Nuevo Leon.
Amid these challenges, the U.S. administration is urging lower beef prices domestically, including fourfold increases in low-tariff Argentine beef imports. This move further disrupts U.S. ranchers, already affected by efforts to restore the national cattle herd.
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