U.S. suspends importation of live cattle from Mexico over screwworm pest
CBSN
The United States will suspend imports of live cattle through ports along the southern border with Mexico for at least two weeks to review the joint strategy in the fight against the screwworm, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said on Sunday.
Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement that the screwworm, which is parasite that could be fatal, was recently detected in remote farms as far north as Oaxaca and Veracruz, about 700 miles away from the U.S. border.
"The protection of our animals and safety of our nation's food supply is a national security issue of the utmost importance," she said in a statement. "Once we see increased surveillance and eradication efforts, and the positive results of those actions, we remain committed to opening the border for livestock trade. This is not about politics or punishment of Mexico, rather it is about food and animal safety."
