06/08/05 Durango border

Durango Border Any discussion of a border closure in the cattle industry usually involves our northern border, but it can happen down south also. I'm Jeff Keane I'll be back right after this to explain. Mostly when there is talk about a border closure it refers to the Canadian border closure for live cattle imports, but last week the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the USDA closed the US border to cattle imports from the Mexican state of Durango. The closure was implemented because of inadequacies in the management program of bovine tuberculosis in that Mexican state. Durango is divided into two sections as far as exporting cattle to the U.S. one section can export and one can't. An APHIS review in the state revealed that animals from the non-exporting section were being moved to the exporting section. Other APHIS guideline infractions were also found. This is a significant closure since the state of Durango accounts for 16.5% of all cattle imported into the United States from Mexico. APHIS will work with Mexico to reopen that border if the practice of cattle movement between the two sections is halted, and quarantine and testing of animals in certain areas of Durango's exporting section is implemented. Sometimes the politics of the USDA's bureaucracy can make a person wonder about their efficiency, but since bovine tuberculosis can be transmitted from livestock to humans and other animals its good to know the inspectors doing the ground work know their job and do it well. I'm Jeff Keane. Capital Press 5/27/05