The southern border was closed to imports of the animals after screwworm, eradicated in the U.S. for decades, had been moving northward in Mexico.

The United States and Mexico plan to reopen the U.S. border to Mexican cattle imports in July. U.S. agriculture officials had suspended imports in May due to concerns over the screwworm parasite spreading northward.

Imports of livestock from Mexico will resume in phases starting next week after a ban in May at ports of entry because of fear of the spread of New World screwworm, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday.