On Aug. 24, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will reopen the port of entry in Douglas, Ariz. for Mexican cattle.
The opening of the border to Mexican cattle is a blessing to some and a threat to others. There are some facts to support the reopening and some politics to lower the price of beef at grocery stores.
Closing the border to slow the spread of New World screwworm (NWS) has shown Mexico the U.S. is serious about the issue. Mexico better ramp up their control, especially since it’s next to Central American countries where NWS has become a way of life.
The closure has hurt Mexico’s cattle industry as it didn’t have much infrastructure for feeding and processing. However, since the border closure, Mexico has built both feedlots and processing facilities, but it hasn’t been enough for their needs.
The closure has also hurt the U.S. cattle industry in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. Where there are processing plants and feedlots depending on Mexican cattle to run at capacity.
Prior to the July 9, 2025 border closure, U.S. imports of Mexican cattle averaged 1.8 million head annually in the previous decade and 1.12 million head per year in the previous 35 years.
When one considers the number of Mexican cattle and current low numbers of U.S. cattle, this three-state area was really hit hard.
The closest active NWS case to the Douglas, Ariz. crossing is only around 325 miles away.
This area has always had good cattle and the strictest animal health requirements in Mexico. Mexico has large cattle associations which help ranchers with the latest vaccines and management tools. Despite cartels, these associations do a good job for their ranchers.
There is strict protocol for cattle crossing into the U.S. First, they have to go through pre-inspection facilities in the areas of Sonora, Mexico and Chihuahua, Mexico where veterinarians inspect cattle and provide doses of various medications such as Ivermectin.
There will be a monitoring timeline before cattle reach the border and another inspection at the border. If they pass this inspection, cattle will be run through a dipping vat before they are brought into the U.S.
I think President Donald Trump and his administration are hoping Mexican cattle will help bring down beef prices at the grocery store.
Live cattle futures will drop, but hopefully they will come back up soon.
Some ag economists disagree and say it won’t help, and I tend to agree. While cattle numbers have risen some 200,000 head lately and replacement heifers are up three percent to 3.8 million, the drought in cattle country will take a toll. I’ve heard over 60 percent of U.S. cattle are now in a drought-affected area.
Derrell Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension livestock marketing specialist, said, “Closing the border last year is not what caused record-high cattle prices in the U.S. It added a tiny bit at the margin, but it’s not the reason. For those who may think opening the border is going to change the overall trajectory of cattle markets in the U.S., I don’t think it’s going to happen.”
Dennis Sun is the publisher of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup, a weekly agriculture newspaper available online and in print.
