Facing an escalating threat from a deadly flesh-eating parasite, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins warned Saturday that the United States will block Mexican animal exports unless Mexico immediately removes obstacles to joint eradication efforts, The Daily Caller reported.
Rollins issued a stern warning Saturday, threatening to close American ports of entry to Mexican cattle, bison, and equine exports unless Mexico removes customs barriers impeding efforts to eradicate the deadly parasite.
Mexican customs officials reportedly impose significant fees on U.S. aviation equipment vital to a joint eradication effort targeting the New World Screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite that infests living mammals. The New World Screwworm outbreak, which began in 2024, continues to escalate, prompting urgent action from U.S. authorities.
"As the New World Screwworm outbreak is escalating, Mexico must eliminate restrictions on USDA aircraft and waive customs duties on eradication equipment. These barriers critically impair our joint response," Rollins wrote in a letter shared on X. "Without resolution by April 30, @USDA will close American ports of entry to cattle, bison, and equine from Mexico to protect U.S. agriculture."
Rollins also urged Mexico's Secretary of Agriculture Julio Antonio Berdegue Sacristan to issue a minimum one-year permit to Dynamic Aviation, the U.S. company contracted to help fight the outbreak. Currently, Dynamic Aviation operates under a temporary 60-day permit. Rollins further requested that the company be authorized to fly seven days a week, an upgrade from its current six-day schedule.
"The success of the operation requires consistent flights 7 days per week—including direct flight permissions, pilot credentialing, facility access, and full control over their logistical and technical operations," Rollins emphasized in her letter.
The New World Screwworm is particularly dangerous because its larvae feed on the flesh of living animals and humans. Female flies lay eggs in open wounds or mucous membranes, leading to potentially fatal infections if untreated, according to the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
The United States successfully eradicated the pest in 1966 using the sterile insect technique, in which sterile male flies are released to reduce the wild population. APHIS continues to deploy this strategy to help contain outbreaks elsewhere.
"(1/3) APHIS is working with partners in Mexico and Central America to stop the spread of New World screwworm (NWS) into the United States. Our strongest and most reliable tool for eradication of NWS is through sterile insect technique," APHIS posted on X in December 2024.
Although eradicated domestically, the USDA warns that preventing the screwworm's reestablishment in the United States requires ongoing vigilance. APHIS disbursed $165 million in emergency funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation to combat the recent outbreak.
The U.S. has established biological barriers in Central America to bolster defenses, particularly at the Darien Gap between Panama and Colombia. There, the United States and Panama release about 20 million sterile screwworms each week.
"If NWS were to spread to the United States, it would result in significant economic losses and threats to animal health and welfare," said Jenny Lester Moffit, a former USDA undersecretary, in December.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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