The US reopens a cattle crossing with Mexico despite a flesh-eating screwworm outbreak, bringing New Mexico stockyards back to life

The US has resumed cattle imports from Mexico through a New Mexico border crossing after introducing tighter inspection checks to contain the New World screwworm outbreak. Stockyards in New Mexico that had shuttered during the crisis are now operating again, a significant relief for ranchers on both sides of the border.

The New World screwworm, whose larvae eat living flesh, had forced border crossings to close as officials scrambled to contain its spread.

Tighter screening protocols were the condition for reopening, though the parasite outbreak has not been fully eradicated.