USDA closes border to Mexican state

WASHINGTON – The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service recently closed the U.S. border to cattle from the Mexican state of Durango due to inadequacies with that state’s bovine tuberculosis management program.
Durango. Durango is essentially divided into two sections for the purposes of exporting cattle to the U.S. with one section allowed to export and one that is not.
During a review of Durango’s tuberculosis management practices, the inspection service found that animals from the section not allowed to export were being moved into the region that is allowed to export.
This, combined with other conflicts with inspection service guidelines, led to the border closing.
Trade resumed? Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said he spoke with Mexican Secretary of Agriculture Javier Usabiaga and Usabiaga thanked the U.S. for assisting Mexico with corrective measures so normal trade with Durango can resume.
In order to resume trade, Durango must meet all Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service guidelines, including the recommendations by the service’s review team.
These include prohibiting the movement of dairy heifers from herds in the known infected region into the exporting region; requiring quarantine and tests of animals in any heifer raising operation in the exporting region that has received cattle from dairy herds in the known infected region; and requiring quarantine and tests for herds along Durango’s internal regional border if one or more animal in the herd has tested positive.
Large exporter. Durango is the third largest cattle exporting state in Mexico.
Cattle from Durango make up approximately 16.5 percent of all cattle imported into the United States from Mexico.
Bovine tuberculosis can be transmitted from livestock to humans and other animals.