As one of only three Mexican states officially free of screwworm, Baja California is doubling down on its sanitary defenses. Governor Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda has announced the activation of the Health Emergency Operations Center Committee (COES), a specialized body tasked with strengthening prevention and biosecurity protocols across the state.
The preventive initiative, driven by the Governor’s office through the Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER BC), is being carried out in close coordination with the National Service for Agri-Food Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA with the goal of protecting the state’s livestock.
“Remaining free of this parasite is the result of sustained work and sound policy. Anticipating risks and acting ahead of time is what will allow us to stay that way. We are aligning every resource to safeguard the health of our people, our herds, and our wildlife alike,” the governor said.
With the COES now operational, government agencies and private-sector stakeholders will implement coordinated response protocols, ensuring rapid, unified action in the event of an outbreak.
The committee will lead epidemiological surveillance, preventive measures, and immediate emergency response, with special attention to the most vulnerable species including cattle, swine, equines, and canines.
Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development Mónica Vargas Núñez underscored the collaborative nature of the strategy, which brings together federal, state, and municipal authorities from all seven municipalities, along with technical and scientific backing from SENASICA and academic support from the Autonomous University of Baja California (UABC).
Vargas Núñez also outlined a broader agenda to further consolidate the state’s sanitary credentials. Key priorities include securing official federal designation of Baja California as a screwworm-free zone, enforcing strict livestock-movement controls for animals arriving from Chihuahua, and maintaining operational accreditation at the Miguel Alemán inspection point in Mexicali and the Parallel 28 facility in San Quintín.
The strategy encompasses permanent surveillance actions as it involves National Guard reviews of incoming shipments, anti-livestock-theft operations in coordination with the State Attorney General’s Office, ongoing monitoring of wild fauna, and specialized training workshops at agricultural schools throughout the region.
Governor Marina del Pilar concluded that the activation of these control mechanisms and the reinforcement of checkpoints at all state entry points means that Baja California is committed to protecting its livestock sector, preserving its privileged health status, and strengthening the competitiveness of local producers to benefit families who depend on this activity and the broader economic development of the region.
