1. USDA Announces Phased Reopening of Southern Ports for Livestock Trade
APHIS Stakeholder Registry
July 24, 2026
Washington, D.C. - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing a coordinated, phased reopening of southern cattle ports, contingent on Mexico's adherence to the Joint Action Plan. Beginning August 24, 2026, USDA will open the Douglas, AZ port of entry to cattle trade, while simultaneously initiating the operational steps necessary for subsequent openings at the Santa Teresa, NM, and Columbus, NM, ports. Every animal entering the United States through these ports will undergo a full USDA inspection to ensure it is free of any signs of New World screwworm (NWS).
"Protecting the United States from NWS and pushing this pest out of Mexico and back to the Darien Gap is a top priority at USDA and has the full attention of the Trump Administration," said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins. "The closure of the Southern ports of entry for the last year has been a tough but necessary action to control the spread of NWS in Mexico and protect the American livestock industry. Thanks to the work across the federal government as well as state, local, and industry partners, it is now safe to reopen the Douglas, Arizona, port in 30 days to resume the hundreds year old movement of cattle."
For many years, Sonora and Chihuahua have maintained a strong animal health infrastructure program, built on the backs of successful animal disease control measures. While the rest of Mexico has not been able to stop the spread of the screwworm or stop legal and illegal movement, Sonora and Chihuahua do have a track record of success in these spaces, giving USDA confidence that they can do the job.
USDA proposes a phased reopening of Southern ports to livestock trade, contingent upon satisfactory progress on priority Action Plan milestones.
Sonora and Chihuahua are identified as the lowest-risk Mexican states for New World screwworm due to their strong, well-established inspection programs and their geographic distance from southern Mexico, where most cases are concentrated.
On August 24, 2026, USDA will reopen the Douglas, AZ, port, which borders Sonora, to livestock trade. The closest active case to the Douglas, AZ, port is ~325 miles detected on July 22, 2026. After evaluating the success of the initial reopening and potential impacts or risk assessment changes, APHIS will then consider reopening the Santa Teresa, NM, and Columbus, NM, ports to live cattle, bison, and horses.
The reopening timeline will remain flexible and may be adjusted based on Mexico's progress in meeting Action Plan milestones and addressing critical issues.
The opening of ports may be paused if USDA identifies increased risk in Sonora or Chihuahua via post-opening audits or other observations/information.
For more information about USDA's New World screwworm response, read USDA Continues to Lead Aggressive National NWS Response.
Source: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDAOC/bulletins/4220902
2. Simpson announces arrest of man accused of smuggling livestock past screwworm inspection station [FL]
By Frank Kopylov
FLVoiceNews.com
July 24, 2026
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson on Thursday announced the arrest of a Maitland man accused of illegally bringing livestock into the state after being turned away at an agricultural inspection station for lacking required veterinary documentation amid heightened New World Screwworm protections.
Roger Rodriguez Vega allegedly transported 24 sheep and goats originating from Texas, designated a high-risk area under Florida's emergency import restrictions, and bypassed state inspection requirements, according to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.
"Florida has taken a proactive and aggressive approach to protecting our livestock, agricultural industry, pets, wildlife, and food supply from the very real threat of New World Screwworm, and we will not tolerate anyone who breaks the law and attempts to circumvent those protections," Simpson said. "I commend the hard work of our agricultural law enforcement officers, who serve as the front line of defense against devastating animal diseases and pests as well as criminal activity. This arrest also serves as a warning to others that we will hold accountable anyone who intentionally violates Florida law and threatens our state's farmers and ranchers."
3. FAO presents new strategic model to tackle transboundary animal diseases
FAO
Relief Web
July 24, 2026
Rome - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today presented a blueprint for a new global approach to tackle transboundary animal diseases. Left unchecked, these diseases can rapidly undermine livelihoods and trade, hit low- and middle-income countries the hardest, and spill over into human populations with devastating consequences.
The FAO Global Partnership Programme for Transboundary Animal Diseases (GPP-TAD)* is a country driven, country-led initiative, in which the prevention and control of prioritized diseases are strengthened through National Partnership Platforms that bring together governments, the private sector, producers, foundations, farmers' organizations, and financial institutions under one national framework.
[*See: https://www.fao.org/animal-health/our-programmes/fao-global-partnership-programme-for-transboundary-animal-diseases-(gpp-tad)/en ]
"We must ensure that the next chapter of global animal health is not defined by crisis, but by cooperation, responsibility and shared success," FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said at a high-level event attended by ministers and high-level government representatives. He noted that transboundary animal diseases (TADs) remain one of the most urgent threats to global food security, livelihoods and health.
Cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza, foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever, and New World screwworm, among others, demonstrate that TADs "are spreading faster, further, and with greater impact on economies and livelihoods than ever before," Qu added.
4. Register and join us for the next ZOHU Call on August 5, 2026, 2 - 3 pm ET.
CDC
July 24, 2026
Presentations:
A novel presentation of coccidioidomycosis (Valley Fever) in a southern sea otter
Heather S. Harris, DVM, MPVM, DACVPM, Associate Veterinarian
The Marine Mammal Center
Enhancing One Health outcomes with decision analysis: Case studies across wildlife disease systems
Jonathan Cook, PhD, Research Biologist, U.S. Geological Survey
Eastern Ecological Science Center
Outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza a (H5N1) among house cats: A case series involving oseltamivir treatment
Kristen K. Coleman, PhD, Assistant Professor
University of Maryland School of Public Health
AND
Jacob F. Gomez, DVM, CEO/Veterinarian
Cross Street Small Animal VH, Inc.
Register here:
https://events.gcc.teams.microsoft.com/event/d9181808-e700-445e-917d-8e5ffda0d0ce@9ce70869-60db-44fd-abe8-d2767077fc8f?ACSTrackingID=DM156891&ACSTrackingLabel=Save %20the%20date%3A%20ZOHU%20Call%20August%205%2C%202026&deliveryName=DM156891
5. Judge denies feds' request to pause bison plan lawsuit [MT]
By Jordan Hansen
DailyMontanan.com
July 23, 2026
A consolidated lawsuit brought over a 2024 bison management plan in the Greater Yellowstone Area will move forward after the U.S. District Court in Billings denied the federal government's request to pause the suit.
Alliance For the Wild Rockies and Council on Fish & Wildlife brought the suit at the beginning of January against the National Park Service, which culls some bison that stray outside of the park. The groups argue brucellosis eradication efforts by the federal government are based on outdated science.
Brucellosis is a disease that can cause reproductive issues in cows, bison and elk and can make humans sick. About 60% of female bison in Yellowstone National Park test positive for brucellosis antibodies, with a smaller percentage (10% to 15%, the suit says) seen as capable of spreading the disease.
The larger brucellosis problem is elk, the plaintiffs argue in court documents, citing a national study. But the groups said the new management plan for bison, the national mammal, doesn't reflect scientific conclusions from the 20-year study.
Full text: https://dailymontanan.com/briefs/judge-denies-feds-request-to-pause-bison-plan-lawsuit/
6. Research reveals potential new way to identify Johne's disease in calves [UK]
New research from the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) suggests that blood tests in newborn calves could help identify early exposure to Johne's disease, using antibodies passed through colostrum.
Author: Aleksandra Cupriak
Farmers Guide
July 24, 2026
The researchers found that antibodies against Johne's disease can be detected in the blood of newborn calves after they have received colostrum from their mothers.
The findings suggest these antibody measurements could provide a new way to determine when calves are first exposed to the disease. This will support future efforts to better understand how Johne's disease spreads and ultimately improve disease control and cattle welfare.
Johne's disease is a chronic and incurable infectious disease of cattle caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). Cattle are thought to become infected during the first few weeks or months of life, but signs of disease often do not develop for several years.