Background on Key Players and Relevance
The Consejo Nacional Agropecuario (CNA) has highlighted that recent weeks have seen authorities, state governments, producers, feeders, and sectoral organizations collaborate to curb the presence of the gastrointestinal nematode (gusano barrenador del ganado) in Mexico’s south-southeastern region.
Collaborative Efforts and Progress
According to CNA, the technical dialogue and agreement between Mexico’s Secretaría de Agricultura y Desarrollo Rural (Sader) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) have “charted a clear path” for the resumption of ganado exports.
- The combined actions over the past few weeks have led to a significant decrease—75%—in new gusano barrenador cases, dropping from 120 to just 30.
- Key actions include:
- Regionalized sanitary strategy
- Strengthened controls on animal movement and epidemiological surveillance
- USDA’s $21 million investment for expanding a sterile insect production facility in Metapa, Chiapas
Furthermore, the USDA will conduct an on-site review in Mexico to assess the implementation of these measures, which will help validate progress and inform a decision on lifting the export suspension.
Historical Context and Impact
On May 12, the export closure was announced due to the detection of gusano barrenador del ganado entering Mexico through the southern border with Guatemala.
Mexico is the leading supplier of live cattle to the United States, playing a crucial role in the complementary supply for the North American meat sector.
Key Questions and Answers
- Who is involved in this dialogue? Authorities from Mexico’s Sader and the United States’ USDA are engaged in discussions.
- What measures have been taken to control the gusano barrenador del ganado? These include a regionalized sanitary strategy, enhanced controls on animal movement and surveillance, and USDA’s investment in expanding a sterile insect production facility.
- Why is this dialogue important? It aims to chart a clear path for resuming ganado exports, which are vital for the US meat sector’s complementary supply.
- What will the USDA review entail? The USDA will visit Mexico to assess the implementation of control measures and validate progress before deciding on lifting the export suspension.
