Highlights
- The Douglas, Arizona border crossing reopened Monday to Mexican cattle imports, the first U.S. port of entry to do so after a May 2025 ban.
- Ground beef averaged $6.89 per pound in July 2026, up nearly 57% from July 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Oklahoma State agribusiness professor Derrell Peel said he does not expect any measurable impact on cattle or beef prices soon.
- Trump separately announced 331,000 tons of tariff-free imported ground beef will be available at below-market prices for 90 days.
The Douglas, Arizona border crossing reopened Monday to cattle from Mexico, the first U.S. port of entry to resume livestock imports since the Trump administration halted them in May 2025 over the spread of the New World screwworm, but economists say the move won't translate to lower grocery bills anytime soon.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the reopening July 24, selecting Douglas because the adjacent Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua demonstrated stronger animal health programs than other parts of Mexico. The crossing sits along the border with Agua Prieta in Sonora. Under Secretary Dudley Hoskins and Rear Admiral Michael Schmoyer attended the reopening Monday morning.
The backdrop is a beef market under severe strain. The average price of a pound of ground beef rose nearly 57% from July 2021 to July 2026, from $4.39 to $6.89, with a 10% increase over the previous year alone, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Uncooked steak reached a record $13.06 per pound in July, also 10% higher than a year before. The U.S. cattle herd stood at 86.2 million head on Jan. 1, the lowest figure in 75 years, the USDA reported.
The screwworm ban exacerbated an existing shortage. Drought and two decades of low cattle prices had already shrunk the national herd before the border closed. Mexico has traditionally supplied about 1.1 million head annually, roughly 3% of U.S. cattle supply, and a phased reopening means those volumes won't return quickly.
"I don't expect to see any measurable impact on cattle prices or beef prices soon," said Derrell Peel, a professor of agribusiness at Oklahoma State University. Peel added that rebuilding the U.S. herd will take years because a cow typically has only one calf a year.
The reopening is one of two moves the administration made in quick succession. Trump announced Friday that he would allow up to 331,000 tons of imported ground beef into the U.S., tariff-free, to be sold at below-market prices over the next 90 days.
U.S. House Agriculture Committee Chair John Boozman called the USDA's approach "careful, science-based" and said restoring the trade is "critical to strengthening our cattle supply and supporting a healthy, competitive beef industry."
The USDA plans to phase in additional border crossings as animal health conditions warrant. A timeline for full restoration of Mexican cattle imports has not been announced.
Sources
Every factual claim in this article traces to one of the sources below. See how we work for the editorial process.
- AZ Family (3TV/CBS5) retrieved 24/08/2026 14:09
Authored by The Scottsdale Signal. Drafted by AI from primary-source material under our beat-specific editorial guides; reviewed by humans before publish under our five-gate process. Sources retrieved at 24/08/2026 14:09. Every claim traces to a source.
