The screwworm is a pest that affects warm-blooded living animals, entering through open wounds.

However, according to Alonso Fernández Flores, president of the National Association of Federal Inspection Type Establishments (ANETIF) , there is no risk to consumers for products processed under the TIF system.

“It has been a major issue, but fortunately, products produced in TIF plants have a 100% guarantee that there will be no risk. When a product enters the TIF system, it begins in a slaughterhouse with federal inspection, complying with all safety and quality standards. It’s impossible for consumers to be affected thanks to the protection this system offers,” he stated in an interview.

Fernández Flores stated that, in the case of exports to the United States, the majority of shipments are value-added , such as processed and cooked products, which further reinforces food safety controls.

The president of ANETIF emphasized that the Mexican meat industry is strategic at the national level , ranking as the eighth largest producer in the world , with more than 11 million tons of meat per year .

“Chicken is the most consumed protein in Mexico, followed by pork and beef. We currently have 443 TIF establishments , which guarantee quality and safety in production. The sector not only supplies the domestic market, but also generates foreign currency and employment, and we are the main supplier of food to the United States,” he explained.

However, he acknowledged that structural challenges persist, such as limited cold storage infrastructure, high logistics costs, and security issues .

“We must understand and address these challenges to continue growing and consolidate Mexico’s position in the international market,” he added.

In this context, during the third regular session of the ANETIF Board of Directors, held in Mexico City, a binational plan was signed between Mexico and the United States that includes surveillance measures, regionalization, and the use of innovative technologies , such as the release of sterile flies, which will contribute to containing the plague and regaining the confidence of international markets, Fernández stated.

“We at ANETIF welcome this agreement, as it represents a firm step toward protecting the national livestock heritage and ensuring the competitiveness of the Mexican meat industry globally,” said the president of ANETIF.

During the session, José Luis Meza Villarreal, director of Investor Group , presented an economic overview of the meat sector, noting that the industry faces unprecedented challenges due to factors such as insecurity, water shortages, limited financing, geopolitical risks, and the threat of re-emerging pests.

However, it also identified opportunities for 2026, where added value (30%) , market diversification (25%) , the application of new technologies (20%) , sustainability (15%) and global alliances (10%) will make the difference in the competitiveness of the Mexican industry.

Among the key innovations he mentioned are Artificial Intelligence ( AI) for carcass inspection, robotic butchering, real-time animal health monitoring, and optimized feeding , which will enable smarter and more sustainable production.

Alonso Fernández emphasized the need to prepare new talent to face the industry’s challenges , announcing training programs promoted by the ANETIF Foundation , including the diploma in Sustainability for the Meat Industry, which began on August 21 in collaboration with the Monterrey Institute of Technology, as well as an international internship in Canada.

He also noted that TIF certification is an essential requirement for export and a globally recognized distinction.

“Today we export to more than 74 countries, including the United States, Japan, and Korea, but we are negotiating for other markets. The TIF seal has opened those doors for us and is a key driver of growth for the industry. That’s why it’s essential to continue promoting it and for consumers to know what’s behind that seal,” he stated.

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El cargo Mexico-US alliance protects meat industry against screwworms apareció primero en T21.

Following a new case of screwworm detected in Ixhuatlán de Madero, Veracruz, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has again halted imports of Mexican cattle , following a previous announcement authorizing a gradual reopening starting July 7.

The USDA stated in its statement that the closure is “effective immediately.” The measure also cited Mexican authorities’ failure to provide accurate and timely information about the spread of the pest.

He argued that the goal is to protect American cattle herds and the national food supply.

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture had announced a phased, risk-based reopening strategy for the importation of Mexican cattle, bison, and equines,” recalled USDA head Brooke Rollins, quoted in the statement.

According to the planned schedule, the reopening of Mexican cattle crossings to the United States would begin on July 7 at the port of Douglas, Arizona. Meanwhile, crossings would open on July 14 in Columbus, New Mexico; on July 21 in Santa Teresa, New Mexico; on August 18 in Del Rio, Texas; and on September 15 in Laredo, Texas.

“To reactivate the livestock trade, significant progress will need to be made in combating the worm in Veracruz and other nearby Mexican states before reopening livestock ports along the southern border,” Rollins emphasized.

Following the discovery, the federal office called on Mexican authorities to implement stricter controls on animal movement, as well as ongoing surveillance , trapping, and the use of proven scientific methods to stem the screwworm infestation.

Reactions to the suspension of reopening

The measure has come as a shock to companies in the sector, which have already reacted. In a statement, the Mexican Meat Producers Association (AMEG) reaffirmed its collaboration to ensure the traceability, safety, and health of cattle destined for export.

Separately, the National Association of Federal Inspection Establishments (ANETIF) reiterated that “the TIF system guarantees meat safety, even in health emergency situations, and that these decisions affect the operation, exports, and logistics of certified plants, in addition to causing millions in losses for both countries.”

He added that this new case, reported by the National Service of Health, Safety and Food Quality (Senasica) and confirmed by U.S. authorities, is located outside the current dispersal zone of sterile flies, which raises concerns about a possible expansion to the north of the country .

Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum reported this morning that technical teams are already working to control the screwworm infestation detected in Veracruz, and she hopes that cattle exports to the United States will resume “very soon.”

In his morning press conference, he called the closure of the U.S. southern border “totally exaggerated” and said that “everything that scientifically and practically should be done is being done.”

On May 11, the United States suspended the import of Mexican cattle due to a screwworm infestation detected in Oaxaca and Veracruz.

The screwworm plague has deeply affected the Mexican livestock sector, which suffered a 64% drop in exports between January and May 2025, according to the  Agricultural Markets Consulting Group (GCMA) .

This figure meant a decrease in the volume of shipments abroad, falling from 640,000 head in 2024 to only 233,000 head in 2025 during the reference period.

This represented an economic loss of 53% , as exports went from $605 million in the first five months of 2024 to $287 million in the same period of 2025.

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El cargo A new case of screwworm suspends the reopening of Mexican cattle ranches in the U.S. apareció primero en T21.

“We will begin in November 2024 with the aerial dispersal of sterile flies, which are a kind of extinguisher because they interrupt the fly’s reproductive cycle. Since November, we have been using only a few flies because the United States is the only country with a sterile fly production plant,” he emphasized.

The plague Mexico is facing today is a consequence of decisions made by the United States, the federal official indicated, adding that “the screwworm had ceased to be a problem for several years because it was an eradicated pest , and Mexico had no responsibility for its control.”

“Mexico had no responsibility to control this pest when it was south of Panama. Our North American partners did have a responsibility; the problem is that it got out of control; it traveled more than 3,700 kilometers until it reached Mexico,” he explained.

At Tuesday’s morning press conference, he recalled that when the United States announced the closure of its border to Mexican cattle, the country had taken the bilaterally agreed-upon actions to combat the pest.

The head of Sader pointed out that the first case in Mexico was reported on November 24, 2024, at checkpoints that had been established in advance, and indicated that “in June 2023, the screwworm plague reappeared in Panama; it is endemic to South America.”

A veterinary training campaign was launched in May 2024 , and in July of that year, the national emergency response was activated to carry out a series of checks, Berdegué emphasized.

Mexico has requested technical assistance from its northern neighbor to build a sterile fly plant in Chiapas, and for now, the United States is supplying the country with these flies, said Berdegué, who noted that further control measures will be implemented .

“Control of livestock movements will be strengthened. This sweep will be carried out from the Gulf of Mexico in Veracruz to the Pacific Ocean in Oaxaca and Guerrero. We are visiting all the ranches. We are doing everything materially possible,” he emphasized.

On May 11, Berdegué announced the U.S. government’s decision to close the border to Mexican livestock due to the screwworm infestation, which Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum described as an unfair decision.

“Mexico isn’t anyone’s piñata. What we have is collaboration and coordination, but there’s no subordination, nor can we just follow what’s said every day,” Sheinbaum clarified during the morning press conference on May 12.

This would have serious economic consequences for Mexican cattle ranchers since, according to Sader, in 2024 Mexico exported more than 1.2 million head of cattle to the United States .

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El cargo Mexico has reached agreements with the US to combat screwworms: Agriculture apareció primero en T21.

Sheinbaum called the measure unfair, although she trusted that the decision taken by the United States would not represent “significant losses” for the country.

“Mexico isn’t anyone’s piñata; what we have is collaboration and coordination, but there’s no subordination, nor can we just follow what the United States says every day,” he stated.

The president highlighted that the head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development , Julio Antonio Berdegué , has presented detailed reports on the actions implemented in the country to eradicate the screwworm and has maintained constant coordination with U.S. authorities.

Announcement with “immediate effect”

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced yesterday the suspension of live cattle imports along the U.S.-Mexico border “effective immediately” for 15 days, in response to the “continued and rapid” spread of the screwworm. She said that despite the efforts of both countries, the spread of the pest has not been halted.

“The United States and Mexico are continuing their efforts to intercept and eradicate bovine papillomavirus (BHPV) in Mexico and are working in good faith. However, despite these efforts and the resulting economic impact on both countries, there has been unacceptable northward expansion of BHPV, and additional measures are necessary to slow its spread,” the U.S. Department of Agriculture said in a statement.

The U.S. agency also reported that the import suspension will remain in place monthly until significant containment of the pest is achieved and that collaboration with Mexico will continue, including a review of data and metrics in two weeks.

On May 6 , the National Association of Federal Inspection Establishments (ANETIF) called on the Mexican government and industry to join efforts to combat the country’s screwworm infestation. Subsequently, on May 8 , 100 million sterile flies were released in coordination between the federal government and the United States Department of Agriculture to eradicate the pest.

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El cargo Sheinbaum calls the US decision to suspend cattle imports “unfair.” apareció primero en T21.

The appearance of a case of screwworm in Chiapas has generated uncertainty in the country’s livestock sector, since the scope of the threat it represents is unknown, in response to which the National Association of Federal Inspection Type Establishments (ANETIF) proposed some preventive measures for beef producers, and the United States has suspended the importation of Mexican cattle as a precautionary action .

In this regard, Alonso Fernández Flores , president of ANETIF, indicated that biosecurity measures on ranches and establishmentsmust be reinforced , as well as establishing continuous inspection protocols for animals and products, and participating in monitoring and control campaigns organized by the authorities.

In addition, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) temporarily suspended the importation of live animals originating in or transiting through Mexico.

“This could have a strong impact on the market and generate a contraction in the supply of beef, which will affect various sectors, but it could also open opportunities for producers and marketers of other proteins,” stressed the president of ANETIF.

Given the uncertainty surrounding this case, Fernández said that support will be strengthened for his more than 20 beef producer and marketing partners to deal with this situation, and noted that health authorities are already working on containment and eradication measures.

He added that to this end, they have requested a meeting with the National Service for Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality (SENASICA) in order to obtain detailed information and ensure the collaboration of their association in the control strategies.

“We reiterate our commitment to protect the integrity of the national meat industry and the interests of our members and we will be in constant communication to update them on the progress and measures taken,” said Alonso Fernández.

It is worth remembering that the United States is the main destination for exports of Mexican meat and products. In 2023, Mexico exported 258,940 tons of beef to its northern neighbor, which represented a value of 1.85 billion dollars .

In 1991, the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO) declared Mexico free of this plague, caused by a larva that feeds on the live flesh of warm-blooded animals.

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El cargo ANETIF strengthens preventive measures in response to the case of the screwworm in Chiapas apareció primero en T21.