U.S. hands over some ag inspections to Mexico

Farmers are concerned about the integrity of Mexican inspections

Some ag products coming into the United States from Mexico won’t receive inspections from USDA.

On Sept. 16, Mexico announced that it and the U.S. came to an agreement that Mexican inspectors would handle examinations of Mexican avocado orchards and packinghouses with products destined for the U.S., instead of the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS), which oversaw these inspections for almost 30 years.

“With this agreement, the U.S. health authority recognizes the commitment of Mexican producers, who for more than 27 years have not had health problems during the export process,” a translated Mexican release says.

The U.S. will participate in a “documentary manner,” the release adds.

APHIS employs around 100 inspectors annually to inspect Mexican orchards, a Climate Rights International report says.

Avocado producers are unhappy with this decision.

The California Avocado Commission (CAC) discovered the new ruling from Mexican media two days after the Mexican government made the announcement.

Not only did this decision occur without industry consultation, but the integrity of the Mexican inspections needs to be questioned, the organization says.

“We expected and believe we are entitled to better treatment from APHIS,” the organization said in a Sept. 23 letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The pest prevention program adopted by APHIS decades ago has worked in large measure because APHIS inspectors have been directly involved in all significant aspects of the program’s operation beginning with orchard certification. It is well known that their physical presence greatly reduces the opportunity of others to “game the system””.

To date, the USDA hasn’t explained its reason for the switch or how it will ensure avocados entering the U.S. are safe – both issues the CAC demands answers for in its letter.

APHIS inspectors have been targeted in Mexico for their avocado inspections.

In June of this year, for example, the USDA suspended avocado inspections for about a week after two employees were attacked and detained.

The USDA suspended inspections in February 2022 as well after an American plant safety inspector in Michoacan received a threatening message. That suspension also lasted about a week.