Rebecca Dow, House Representative of New Mexico, said that rising beef prices are partly tied to the reemergence of New World screwworms and that import limits on Mexican cattle are necessary to protect livestock and the economy. This statement was made on X.
"It's partly due to the New World Screw Worm," said Dow. "A serious threat to the USA livestock industry has re-emerged — the New World Screwworm. The U.S. worked for decades to eradicate screwworms, and reintroduction would devastate our ranchers, wildlife, and economy. That's why New Mexico and U.S. border states have strict import restrictions on cattle from Mexico until the risk is fully contained."
According to Reuters, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) suspended live cattle, horse, and bison imports from Mexico on May 11, 2025, following detections of New World screwworms. The reopening occurred in phases starting July 7, with New Mexico ports like Santa Teresa and Columbus resuming by mid-September. These restrictions followed confirmed cases in Nuevo León, Mexico, causing temporary disruptions in cross-border cattle trade vital to New Mexico ranchers.
USDA APHIS reported that New World screwworm detections exceeded 6,500 cases across Central America in 2023, spreading north into Mexico with a confirmed case in Nuevo León on September 22, 2025. The agency allocated $109.8 million for surveillance and sterile fly releases to contain the pest and safeguard the U.S. cattle herd. These data underpin ongoing import restrictions and monitoring.
The USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) projected that U.S. beef and veal prices would rise by 11.6% in 2025 amid the smallest cattle herd since 1951, estimated at 86.7 million head as of January 1, 2025. Reuters noted that supply tightness and trade disruptions, including screwworm-related limits, continue to pressure retail prices higher nationwide.
According to the New Mexico Legislature, Rep. Rebecca Dow is a Republican representing District 38. She was first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2024 while serving on committees related to rural development and economic growth. A former early-childhood CEO, she focuses on agriculture, small-business, and workforce issues central to southern New Mexico.
USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) reported that New Mexico supports about 1.28 million cattle and calves as of January 2025, making livestock and dairy key economic sectors. The state’s cross-border trade with Mexico is monitored by USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), while animal-health enforcement falls under the New Mexico Livestock Board within the Department of Agriculture.
