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| The Arizona Cattlemen's Association Industry News - Efforts to Open Cattle Exports to Mexico | |||||||||||||
| PHOENIX, AZ, September 20, 2007 – The Arizona Cattlemen's Association (ACA) applauded efforts by Governor Napolitano and the Arizona Department of Agriculture to open the Mexican border to exports of cattle from the U.S. "This joint effort will assist us greatly in re-opening the Mexican border to the export of live cattle from Arizona into Mexico," stated Tom Chilton, President of the Arizona Cattle Growers' Association from Tucson. Chilton went on to say, "The ACGA and its members have been frustrated for the last two years in trying to re-establish a normal trade relationship with Mexico. We raise and provide high quality animals to markets around the world and hopefully we will add Mexico to that list again." The Director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture, Don Butler and Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock for Sonora, Alejandro Elias Gutierrez recently signed a joint letter addressed to the United States Department of Agriculture Secretary, Mike Johanns requesting the reinstatement of beef cattle trade between the United States and Mexico. This trade has been disrupted since December of 2003 after the discovery of a single cow in Washington State testing positive for BSE. "We have worked jointly with our neighbors in Mexico and resolved many issues surrounding animal health and food safety over the last several years – it is now time to resolve this issue and once again open the Mexican border to our high quality production," stated Scott Shill, President of the Arizona Cattle Feeders' Association from Yuma. The ACA has worked with Mexico officials and producers to normalize animal health standards and surveillance for a variety of animal diseases over the past 15 years. Shill went on to say, "Arizona's beef producers were doing one million dollars worth of business a week (beef and live cattle trade) prior to this barrier being placed, we look forward to recapturing this important segment of Arizona's economy." Since this Mexican trade barrier was raised Arizona's 2.8 billion dollar beef and cattle economy has lost nearly 200 million dollars of business with Mexico. "Hopefully this effort is successful and it will end our frustration with a trade barrier that should have been removed two years ago," said Chilton. |
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