Local Business · Columbus, NM
Columbus, NM Border Crossing Reopens for Mexican Cattle After Two-Year Closure
Mexican cattle began moving through the Columbus, New Mexico border crossing on Monday after a nearly two-year closure tied to the New World screwworm threat. The port is the third to resume imports under new USDA safeguards including pre-border testing, veterinary inspections, and insecticide dipping. More than 60 screwworm cases have been confirmed in Texas and New Mexico since the parasite reappeared in Mexico in 2024. Local officials estimate the cattle trade at Columbus and the nearby Santa Teresa port near El Paso, Texas is worth about $1 billion to the region, with jobs, tax revenue, and agricultural sales lost during the shutdown.