February 12, 2004
US Official Expects Mexico Beef Ban To End Soon
The Texas Agriculture Commissioner is expecting neighboring Mexico to lift a ban on US beef in a matter of weeks following the implementation of a new certification program for safety precautions against mad cow disease.
Mexico closed its borders to U.S. beef exports December 24, the day after the discovery of a single case of mad-cow disease in Washington state.
Texas Agriculture Commissioner Susan Combs expressed optimism Tuesday that Mexico would lift the ban once beef shipments are accompanied by a dated certificate of compliance with new U.S. safety measures.
"I'm hoping we're looking at two or three weeks" before the ban is lifted, said Combs, who met with Mexican Agriculture Secretary Javier Usabiaga over dinner Monday.
Mexican Agriculture Department officials couldn't be reached immediately for comment.
Mexico is traditionally the second-largest foreign market for U.S. beef. The U.S. exported 346,520 tons of beef to Mexico from January through November last year, worth $818 million, according to USDA data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
The U.S. Agriculture Department was preparing on Tuesday a response to a new list of Mexico's concerns about safety measures implemented to guard against mad-cow disease, or bovine spongiform encephalopathy.
In Washington, U.S. Agriculture Department Undersecretary Bill Hawks said, "They're looking for assurances. They want to be sure we are doing the things we said we were going to do, and we continue to give them those assurances."
Hawks returned Saturday from a trip to Mexico, where Usabiaga handed over the points he wants clarified.
Hawks said Mexican officials he met during his trip, including Usabiaga, expressed a desire to reopen trade.
"The consistent message has been that they have a desire to open the border," he said.
Combs said the damage to the Texas beef industry by the Mexican ban has been minimal because domestic demand was strong over the holiday season.
