NEW YORK, May 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said she was suspending imports of livestock through the Mexican border on a "month-by-month basis" to protect U.S. cattle from the threat of a dangerous, flesh-eating parasite infestation.

The parasite is the New World Screwworm, or NWS, which is actually a fly and was eradicated in the United States almost 60 years ago. The Agriculture Department said in a statement on Sunday that NWS was recently detected in remote Mexican farms within 700 miles of the U.S. border. The statement cited "unacceptable northward advancement of NWS" and said additional action must be taken.

"Due to the threat of New World Screwworm I am announcing the suspension of live cattle, horse and bison imports through U.S. southern border ports of entry effective immediately," Rollins said in a social media post. "The last time this devastating pest invaded America, it took 30 years for our cattle industry to recover. This cannot happen again."

USA Today reported on Monday that Mexico's agricultural council chief, Luis Fernando Haro, said the ban is unnecessary and does not solve the problem. He said established protocols already ensure that cattle crossing into the United States are "guaranteed to be free of screwworms." Mexican Agriculture Secretary Julio Berdegue said he disagreed with the ban but hoped the two countries would reach an agreement soon.

Rollins called the protection of U.S. animals and the safety of the nation's food supply "a national security issue of the utmost importance." When increased surveillance and eradication efforts begin showing positive results, the border will reopen for livestock trade, she said. ■