Brooke Rollins just sent shockwaves through America’s agricultural community.
The decision will impact thousands of ranchers along the border.
And Trump’s Agriculture Secretary dropped this bombshell that left ranchers stunned.
Secretary Rollins halts livestock imports over dangerous pest threat
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins made a major announcement on Sunday that sent tremors through America’s agricultural industry and the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship.
Effective immediately, the importation of live cattle, horse, and bison through southern border ports of entry has been suspended due to the alarming spread of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico.
“The United States has ordered the suspension of livestock imports through ports of entry along our southern border after the continued spread of the New World Screwworm in Mexico,” Rollins said in a USDA announcement.
The parasite, which has been marching northward at an alarming rate, now poses an imminent threat to American livestock. Recent detections have found the deadly parasite as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz – just 700 miles from the U.S. border.
For American ranchers who depend on cross-border livestock trade, this announcement creates immediate uncertainty about their operations and supply chains.
A devastating parasite threatens America’s food security
New World Screwworm isn’t your average agricultural pest. It’s a nightmare for livestock producers.
When NWS fly larvae (maggots) burrow into the flesh of living animals, they cause horrific, often fatal damage. The parasite can infest livestock, pets, wildlife, and in rare cases, even people.
“The protection of our animals and safety of our nation’s food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance,” Rollins declared.
This aggressive move by the Trump administration underscores the serious nature of the threat. The United States previously fought a long, expensive battle to eradicate NWS from North America – a campaign that cost billions of dollars and took decades to complete.
Now, that hard-won victory is in jeopardy as the parasite spreads rapidly northward through Mexico.
Not about politics, but about protecting America
Secretary Rollins made it clear that this decision wasn’t made lightly or with political motivations.
“This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety,” Rollins emphasized in her statement.
The suspension will remain in place on a month-by-month basis until containment of the parasite is achieved. USDA officials will review the latest data in two weeks.
Livestock currently in holding for entry into the United States will still be processed through normal inspection procedures, including examination by APHIS port Veterinary Medical Officers and treatment to ensure they aren’t carrying the deadly parasite.
The USDA is taking all possible actions to monitor and limit the northward movement of NWS, including the use of USDA Tick Riders who patrol the southern border region between ports of entry.
A troubling history repeating itself
This isn’t the first time the U.S. has faced this threat. America previously led a successful campaign to eradicate NWS from both the United States and Mexico.
But over the last two years, the parasite has been on a concerning march northward, spreading throughout Panama, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize, and now Mexico.
When NWS was first detected in southern Mexico in November 2024, the USDA shut down the border for live animal trade. Imports resumed in February 2025 after both countries implemented comprehensive inspection and treatment protocols.
Despite these efforts, the parasite has continued its dangerous northward progression, forcing the USDA to take this dramatic step to protect American agriculture.
The United States and Mexico must now redouble their eradication efforts, which require robust surveillance, controlled animal movement, and sustained sterile insect dispersal.
For American ranchers and consumers, the stakes couldn’t be higher. This menacing pest threatens not just individual animals, but America’s entire food security system.
Conservative Underground News will keep you up-to-date on any new developments in this story.