Border Seminars in Mexico Help Keep U.S. Meat Moving South

Mexico is the largest volume destination for U.S. red meat exports, and it is critically important to keep product moving without delays at the border.

To help ensure that this process operates as smoothly as possible, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) participates in educational seminars designed to educate inspectors, customs agents, brokers and others involved in the importation of U.S. meat into Mexico.

USMEF technical services manager Cheyenne McEndaffer discusses the objectives behind a recent seminar hosted by COMECARNE (the Mexican Meat Council), which included an opening presentation by Dr. Alejandra Valdez, a veterinarian who leads USMEF-Mexico’s technical services department. The seminar also included presentations by the USA Poultry and Egg Export Council (USAPEEC), SENASICA (Mexico’s food inspection agency) and Sigma Alimentos, a major Mexican food processor and distributor. McEndaffer explains the importance of achieving consistent enforcement of Mexico’s import regulations, which can be especially difficult due to high turnover among inspectors and customs agents.

McEndaffer also notes that the feedback gathered at these seminars is helpful to USMEF member companies that export to Mexico, so exporter training sessions are being planned in which this information will be shared and discussed.