Overview
- Mexico’s economy minister Marcelo Ebrard said the cattle border issue will be raised in bilateral meetings during a visit by U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer.
- He said Greer cannot resolve the suspension because only U.S. agriculture regulators have the authority to lift it.
- The United States halted imports of live Mexican cattle after detecting screw-worm, a parasitic fly that infests livestock.
- Mexico’s agriculture officials say they are meeting U.S. requests through mass trapping and a sterile-fly production program to eliminate the pest.
- U.S. meat industry leaders urge a restart of live-cattle shipments and quicker processed-beef exports as USDA reports a 4% drop in February output and warn that rivals could take Mexico’s market share.