Rep. Gabe Vasquez Responds to New World Screwworm Crisis

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In response to growing concern over the spread of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Mexico and its impact on cross-border livestock trade, U.S. Representative Gabe Vasquez (NM-02) issued a statement today outlining his leadership on the issue and calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to take immediate steps to protect New Mexico’s ranchers and while balancing the interests of New Mexico’s small businesses.

New World Screwworm, a parasitic fly that can cause fatal infestations in livestock, has recently led the USDA to restrict cattle, bison, and horse imports from Mexico. This has shuttered multiple U.S. ports of entry and stalled cattle crossings that border economies rely on. The three agriculture ports in New Mexico are among those affected, including Santa Teresa Port of Entry which is the largest cattle crossing in the U.S., and tens of thousands of cattle that would normally cross into the U.S. remain stranded.

Rep. Gabe Vasquez has proactively recognized the threat the screwworm poses to the agricultural economy:

 

• Earlier this year, Vasquez sent a letter to the USDA urging them to address the issue before it escalated further. 

• Vasquez signed onto an appropriations letter supporting funding for a sterile fly facility within the U.S. to strengthen biosecurity and prevent future outbreaks. 
  
   
• Most recently, Vasquez introduced bipartisan legislation with Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX-23) and Senators Cornyn and Cruz to combat the NWS outbreak and begin production on a sterile fly facility in the US.

“I’ve been raising the alarm about the New World Screwworm threat because I know what it means for our ranchers, ports, and rural economies,” said Vasquez. “That’s why I introduced this bipartisan bill to fight this outbreak and protect our livestock industry. I was one of the first lawmakers to urge the USDA to take this seriously. Livestock auctions in New Mexico are already feeling the squeeze, and ranchers who depend on cross-border cattle trade are being left in limbo. USDA must be transparent about the timeline for reopening ports of entry, and they need to address the staffing and operational issues that are slowing things down. Our border economies can’t wait.”

Rep. Vasquez continues to work with border community stakeholders, producers, and the USDA to ensure ports of entry can reopen as safely as possible, while supporting long-term investments to keep U.S. livestock herds protected.

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