July 30, 2026 – AUSTIN, Texas – Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller voiced a mix of relief and frustration following the federal government’s decision to allow a limited resumption of cattle imports from Mexico. While welcoming the move, Miller sharply criticized the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for a delayed response that he argues has unnecessarily harmed the American livestock industry.
The policy shift comes despite current New World screwworm (NWS) zones already in Texas, where state and federal agriculture officials have been managing quarantines, animal movement restrictions, and eradication measures across multiple counties following local parasite detections.
In a public statement released July 24, Miller acknowledged the strategic importance of reopening the border but emphasized that federal regulators waited too long to restore trade stability.
“Resuming cattle importation from Mexico is the right move for ranchers and American consumers, but it’s a decision that should have been made sooner,” Miller said. “While I’m pleased to see this important trade relationship restored, the prolonged closure has already taken a toll on producers, disrupted supply chains, and created uncertainty that could have lasting consequences for the cattle industry.”
Summit Drives Action, But Frustrations Remain
The decision follows a recent binational New World Screwworm Summit hosted by Miller alongside agricultural leaders from Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. The summit aimed to balance rigorous biosecurity with trade continuity, establishing a consensus that mitigation strategies must rely on science and targeted containment rather than blanket border shutdowns.
Miller extended gratitude to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins for answering his administration’s call to reopen the border:
“I want to thank Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins for responding to my call to reopen our border to importing cattle.”
However, Miller made clear that reopening the border is only a partial step in resolving the broader crisis. He aimed sharp criticism at the USDA’s overall management of the threat, arguing that federal efforts have lacked both urgency and scale.
“USDA’s current approach to the New World screwworm threat has not gone far enough,” Miller warned. “While there have been important steps in the right direction, the pace and scale of the screwworm response have not matched the threat. USDA has spent more than a year reacting instead of getting ahead of the problem, and our producers have paid the price.”
Calls for Aggressive Eradication
The New World screwworm, a destructive flesh-eating parasite capable of killing livestock and wild animals if left untreated, poses a severe financial threat to the multibillion-dollar U.S. cattle market. State officials have urged federal authorities to step up the aggressive deployment of proven tools, including the release of sterile flies and enhanced surveillance.
Miller stressed that maintaining biosecurity within existing Texas quarantine zones must go hand-in-hand with proactive federal leadership to prevent future trade disruptions.
“This reopening is welcome news, but it’s not the finish line,” Miller concluded. “We need a sustained commitment to aggressive use of every proven eradication tool. We must protect American livestock and ensure our ranchers never have to endure this kind of disruption again.”
