1. Inside Day One at Douglas: How USDA and Arizona Will Clear Cattle and Block Screwworm at the Border
From inspections and dips on the Mexican side to EID tags and state vets at the border, officials outline a cautious ramp-up from a few hundred head to full capacity.
Angie Stump Denton
By Angie Stump Denton and Haley Bickelhaupt
Drovers.com
August 24, 2026
When the Douglas, Ariz., port reopens to Mexican cattle Monday, Aug. 24, 2026, the first loads won't simply walk through the gate. After more than a year of closure over New World screwworm (NWS) concerns, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Arizona Department of Agriculture are layering inspections, treatments, traceability and new state-level checks on every animal that crosses.
Arizona Agriculture Director Paul Brierley says he's confident in the system.
"I'm confident that it'll keep it from coming in on cattle," Brierley explains. "There's still the problem of wildlife and pets, but as far as cattle, the protocols that USDA's instituted and the protocols that we've instituted, I don't believe it'll come in on the cattle they're processing."
Despite a confirmed bovine case of NWS in the Mexican state of Sonora just days before the reopening, USDA confirmed on Thursday afternoon that plans remain unchanged. In an official statement on X, USDA announced: "We have no plans to change the Douglas, Ariz., port reopening on 8/24." The agency added that the case - located 292 miles from the border - has triggered a rapid, layered and aggressive containment response.
2. As US border reopens to Mexican cattle, concerns persist over screwworm spread
By Cassandra Garrison and Leah Douglas
Thomson Reuters
WTVBAN.com
Aug 24, 2026
MEXICO CITY/WASHINGTON - Mexico is bolstering its screwworm containment campaign in northern border states where recent cases have been detected, heightening scrutiny of livestock exports as cross-border trade resumed on Monday under a phased U.S. reopening.
Mexican Agriculture Minister Columba Lopez said authorities would reinforce the dispersal of sterile flies in Sonora and Chihuahua, a key eradication strategy aimed at preventing the parasite from reproducing.
The phased reopening marks the first easing of a U.S. ban imposed more than a year ago to keep out the flesh-eating pest, with imports set to resume initially through Arizona before expanding to additional ports in New Mexico. The plan has drawn criticism ?from some U.S. cattle groups ?and state officials who argue that resuming imports could increase screwworm risks even as the parasite continues to spread in northern Mexico and has already been detected in Texas and New Mexico.
3. Boehringer Ingelheim Now Accepting Proposals for 2026 Equine Research Awards
Infectious disease research is the focus for the 16th year of the awards.
Boehringer Ingelheim Press Release
EquiManagement.com
August 21, 2026
Boehringer Ingelheim has announced the call for proposals for the 2026 Advancement in Equine Research Awards.
"Boehringer is committed to collaborating with the community of researchers, veterinarians, and diagnosticians who dedicate their time and energy to improving the lives of horses through research," says Steve Grubbs, DVM, PhD, DACVIM, equine technical manager for Boehringer. "The Equine Research Awards program has been invaluable in advancing what we know about infectious disease."
Public and private researchers in the United States, Canada, and Mexico are eligible to submit proposals for research programs that help advance the diagnosis, treatment and understanding of equine infectious disease. Boehringer will present five separate $15,000 awards.
Proposals must be submitted by Sept. 15, 2026, and will be reviewed by an independent board consisting of renowned equine industry professionals, including practicing veterinarians and researchers. The board will peer review and select proposals based on probability of successfully completing the project, potential for impact to the equine industry, originality, and scientific quality. The award recipients will be announced at the 72nd annual American Association of Equine Practitioners Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, which will take place from Dec. 7-11, 2026.
Horses Test Positive for WNV in Wyoming and Utah
Three new equine WNV cases have been reported to the EDCC.
EDCC Health Watch
Equus Magazine
August 24, 2026
Three new equine West Nile virus (WNV) cases have been reported to the Equine Disease Communication Center:
Fremont County, Wyoming: One horse tested positive.
Cache County, Utah: An unvaccinated 3-year-old Quarter Horse gelding tested positive and was euthanized on Aug. 10.
Duchesne County, Utah: An unvaccinated yearling Quarter Horse filly tested positive on Aug. 20 and was euthanized.
Full text: https://equusmagazine.com/news/edcc-health-watch/horses-test-positive-for-wnv-in-wyoming-and-utah
Michigan Quarter Horse Tests Positive for Equine Influenza
A quarantine has not been issued for the case.
EDCC Health Watch
EquiManagement.com
August 24, 2026
On Aug. 20, a 7-year-old Quarter Horse gelding in Michigan tested positive for equine influenza, according to the state's Department of Agriculture. The horse is vaccinated and presented with lethargy, nasal discharge, and a fever.
The county where the case is located has not been reported. A quarantine has not been issued for the case.
UT Veterinarian Brings Equine Expertise to State Advisory Commission [TN]
Edited Press Release
TheHorse.com
August 24, 2026
Governor Bill Lee has appointed Carla Sommardahl, DVM, PhD, Dipl. ACVIM, head of the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine, to the Tennessee Equine Health Advisory Commission. Sommardahl is a clinical professor and board-certified large animal internal medicine specialist with the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine.
The commission examines the state of equine health in the state, emerging health concerns, and other issues affecting the equine industry. Sommardahl's appointment is effective immediately and continues through June 30, 2028.
"I am honored to serve on the Tennessee Equine Health Advisory Commission," Sommardahl said. "Tennessee's horses and the people who care for them are vital to communities and agriculture across our state. I look forward to working with fellow commission members, industry partners, and state leaders to support practical, science-based approaches that protect and advance equine health."
Full text: https://thehorse.com/1146753/ut-veterinarian-brings-equine-expertise-to-state-advisory-commission/
5. USPOULTRY seminar to address emerging live production, welfare and biosecurity challenges
Seminar brings together industry managers, veterinarians and poultry professionals to address key live production issues.
National Provisioner
August 24, 2026
The 2026 USPOULTRY Live Production, Welfare and Biosecurity Seminar is set to equip poultry professionals with practical tools and insights to address evolving challenges in live production, animal welfare and biosecurity. Scheduled for Sept. 23-24 in Nashville, Tenn., the seminar will focus on strategies to strengthen operational efficiency, protect flock health and prepare poultry operations for emerging industry challenges.
"The challenges facing live production continue to evolve, from disease and biosecurity threats to new technologies and changing expectations around animal welfare. This seminar brings those issues together and gives attendees practical information they can take back to their operations and put to work," said Eric Greene, live operations manager at Claxton Poultry Farms and program planning committee chair.
6. FDA Letter to Stakeholders about the Asian Longhorned Tick and Theileriosis
August 21, 2026
Dear Veterinary, Animal Health, and Industry Partners,
The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) is aware of the emerging threat of the Asian longhorned tick (ALHT), which can spread an infectious disease called Theileriosis, and the need for effective countermeasures to combat this threat. Theileriosis, caused by certain genotypes of T. orientalis, can cause serious health problems in cattle, including anemia, fever, weakness, loss of pregnancy, and death. Presently, there are no products in the U.S. that are FDA-approved to control ALHT or treat/prevent Theileriosis in cattle. CVM encourages drugs sponsors with candidate therapeutic products that could prevent, treat, or control ALHT or T. orientalis to approach the Agency.
CVM has reviewed available literature about therapeutic products related to both ALHT and T. orientalis and has been in communication with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, international partners, and academic experts to gather as much information as possible about the management of ALHT and T. orientalis. We are aware of research being conducted on a drug called buparvaquone.1, 2 Buparvaquone is not currently FDA-approved as an animal drug in the United States. Literature and publicly available information from New Zealand and Australia indicate the drug may remain in certain muscle and liver tissue of cattle up to and beyond 300 days.3, 4 The product is not approved in either New Zealand or Australia, although both have permitted limited, restricted use.5, 6 CVM believes additional research and investment are necessary to speed the identification and development of therapeutics for T. orientalis.
CVM is optimistic about possible products to treat, control, and/or prevent ALHT in cattle and such products may qualify for FDA's expanded conditional approval pathway and/or FDA's priority zoonotic animal drug designation program. There is evidence that ALHT can harbor and spread zoonotic diseases, and reports of this tick biting humans in the U.S.