Santa Teresa Will Reopen for Cattle Imports on September 24

New Mexico officials and the USDA will resume livestock crossings following protocols to prevent screwworm entry.

Updated on Sept. 18, 2026 in International Trade

Isometric editorial illustration of a steel cattle chute and desert holding pen, representing the reopening of trade infrastructure in New Mexico. — The Santa Teresa port of entry in New Mexico will resume cattle imports from Mexico on September 24 following new USDA inspection protocols. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Is now a good time to reopen livestock ports despite ongoing screwworm concerns?

The Santa Teresa port of entry in New Mexico will reopen for cattle imports from Mexico on September 24, 2026. This restart follows a suspension of livestock crossings initiated by the USDA due to New World screwworm concerns.

Why it matters

Resuming operations at this hub is critical for national trade, as the Santa Teresa port historically accounted for 43% of all United States livestock imports. The reopening follows the implementation of new inspection protocols developed by the USDA, New Mexico officials, and the Mexican government.

The Santa Teresa port historically handles 43% of all U.S. livestock imports. Officials have established new protocols requiring technician-led inspections to manage the flow of cattle following screwworm containment efforts.

The players

USDA

The United States Department of Agriculture is the federal agency responsible for overseeing livestock health and trade safety.

Mexican Government

The national government of Mexico is coordinating with U.S. officials to establish secure livestock transit protocols.

The details

Technicians will conduct mandatory inspections of all cattle to facilitate secure crossings and prevent the spread of the New World screwworm. The USDA previously halted imports in the summer of 2025 following concerns about the parasite, which was recently confirmed in a New Mexico horse on September 17, 2026.

The USDA halted crossings at the Santa Teresa port in the summer of 2025.
A New World screwworm case was confirmed in a New Mexico horse on September 17, 2026.
The Santa Teresa port of entry is scheduled to reopen on September 24, 2026.
The Columbus port of entry is scheduled to resume operations in October 2026.

Agriculture
Sept. 18
New Mexico Joined USDA Meat Inspection Program
Residential
Sept. 22
Housing New Mexico Launched Rate Buy-down Program
Inflation
Sept. 20
New Mexico Gas Prices Have Risen

Market Dynamics

The reopening reflects a shift toward highly regulated binational trade under the USDA livestock import health inspection protocols. This move stabilizes the regional supply chain by restoring a primary entry point that previously facilitated nearly half of all national livestock imports.

The restoration of cattle crossings at the Santa Teresa port provides a predictable outlook for livestock importers and regional agricultural supply chains. Retail investors and stakeholders should monitor how these new inspection protocols affect the speed and cost of cross-border throughput.

The takeaway

The reopening of this major gateway signals a return to normalized trade volumes for the agricultural sector after significant regulatory hurdles. Stakeholders should ensure compliance with the newly established inspection requirements to avoid future operational delays.