SANTA TERESA, NEW MEXICO (KFOX14\/CBS4) \u2014 After more than a year of being shut down because of concerns about the New World screwworm, the Santa Teresa livestock port of entry is set to reopen today, with federal and state officials rolling out added safeguards as cattle crossings resume.<\/p>\n
Officials said during a news conference last week that each animal will go through additional treatment, inspection and tracking before entering the United States.<\/p>\n
U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said, \u201cProtecting American livestock will always come first.\u201d <\/p>\n
Rollins also said, \u201cHopefully the city of El Paso and surrounding communities begin to see immediately, starting next Thursday, that we are back in business.\u201d<\/p>\n
RELATED: USDA announces planned reopening of Santa Teresa cattle port Sept. 24<\/a><\/p>\n The port was closed in May last year as federal officials worked to prevent the New World screwworm \u2014 a parasite that can infest warm-blooded animals \u2014 from spreading into the United States. <\/p>\n Rollins previously said at last week\u2019s news conference that Santa Teresa is the busiest livestock inspection location across the U.S.-Mexico border, accounting for more than 43% of all Mexican cattle imports over the last five years.<\/p>\n Cattle are expected to start crossing again today after final inspections in Chihuahua, Mexico, additional treatment protocols and a full inspection by the U.S. Department of Agriculture at the port.<\/p>\n According to the USDA\u2019s tracking website<\/a>, there are two active cases of screwworm in the United States \u2014 one in Texas and the other in Grant County, New Mexico.<\/p>\n The USDA also said its earlier reopening in Douglas, Arizona, has processed about 5,000 head of livestock, with officials hoping to apply lessons learned there to Santa Teresa.<\/p>\n New Mexico State Veterinarian Dr. Samantha Holeck said the extra checks are essential to bring cattle back into New Mexico.<\/p>\n \u201cWe have great confidence in the cattle that are entering. From Mexico, the treatment, the inspection, the level of security that we have on how those cattle are being brought into this country is tremendous,\u201d Holeck said.<\/p>\n Officials said they plan to process as much cattle as they can without compromising the new safety protocols.<\/p>\n RELATED: Texas official urge more action as Arizona livestock crossing reopens after closure<\/a><\/p>\n