APHIS Proposes to Allow Pork Imports From Most of Mexico

The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is proposing to end a ban on importation of fresh pork and pork products from most of Mexico, after finding the country to be free of classical swine fever. Under the proposal, fresh pork and pork products would be eligible for importation from every Mexican state except Chiapas. Establishments that raise the swine would be subject to sanitary and biosecurity requirements, and slaughterhouses would be subject to APHIS inspection. Live swine would not be permitted for importation except from the States of Baja California, Baja California Sur, Campeche, Chihuahua, Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, Sonora, and Yucatan, which are the nine Mexican states from which APHIS already allows imports. Comments are due Sept. 29.