USDA secretary announces reopening of Douglas cattle port, $25M fly facility

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced in Douglas that a cattle port of entry on the southern border is expected to reopen within 30 days. The crossing has been closed for 14 months because of the New World Screwworm outbreak.

Cattle will be inspected several times on both sides of the border before crossing. A gate and chute will guide the animals across the road at the Douglas crossing. Rollins said the livestock port at Santa Teresa, New Mexico, could reopen within 60 days if the Douglas reopening goes well.

The USDA also plans to spend $25 million on a sterile fly dispersal facility in Douglas. Officials are still looking for a location. Sterile flies are used to help control the New World Screwworm, and the planned facility would support dispersal within a 400 nautical mile flight radius.

Rollins said there are currently nine active cases in July, compared with 31 in June. Livestock officials and ranchers said reopening the ports could help businesses affected by the shutdown and improve cattle supplies, despite ongoing concerns about prices and the outbreak.