The ban is only for cattle from the state of Durango, DGO on this map.
Posted on 05/25/2005 10:03:50 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch
WASHINGTON - The United States is banning cattle imports from Durango, Mexico, because it lacks adequate safeguards against bovine tuberculosis, Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns said Tuesday.
Mexico ships more cattle to the U.S. than any other country, and Durango accounts for about 17 percent of Mexican cattle shipments, on average. In 2004, of the 1.2 million head shipped from Mexico to the U.S., 226,180 came from Durango, according to the Agriculture Department.
The animal lung disease can be transmitted to humans, but that happens rarely now because of eradication programs and milk pasteurization. A hunter in Michigan was diagnosed with bovine TB in January after cutting his hand while he gutted an infected deer. The disease is highly contagious among animals.
The problem is that Durango is not adequately segregating its cattle destined for the U.S., the department said.
Durango's dairy heifers have moved from the region where TB has been confirmed, which cannot ship cattle to the U.S., into the region where shipments are allowed, the department said.
Johanns said he spoke with his Mexican counterpart, Javier Usabiaga, on Monday evening.
"He fully understands the safety concerns that prompted our action," Johanns said in a statement. "He also expressed his appreciation for our willingness to assist Mexico with corrective measures so we can resume normal trade with Durango."
To resume trade with the U.S., Durango must confine at-risk dairy heifers, quarantine and test animals in any operation that has received at-risk cattle and quarantine and test herds that have an animal confirmed to have TB, the department said.
There is no point in banning cattle and yet allowing unchecked migration of people.
Mexican Cattle TB Ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.
We can stop Mexican cattle from crossing the border , but we cant stop Mexican people. LMAO.
Yep. My thoughts also. I was going to use the leprosy angle.
The ban is only for cattle from the state of Durango, DGO on this map.
oh, that's where I live, damn.
This has got to be embarrassing for Bush. I'll bet he argued furiously that this announcement not be made public. He knew the jokes it would generate.
Can you imagine the back slapping congratulations that the head of the USDA is receiving for stopping at least some aspect of Mexican migration.
Have any ninos or vacas?
Can we ban the illegals? They also carry at a high percentage TB.
It doesn't seem funny to me, and I doubt that W worried much about making it.
Can't they just sneak them in?
"Durango's dairy heifers have moved from the region where TB has been confirmed, which cannot ship cattle to the U.S., into the region where shipments are allowed, the department said."
Looks like they're trying.
LOL! Leave it to the mexicans. I figured they'd find a way. Cows are too big to fit in a car trunk, stuff in a pinata, or cover with tumble weed to enable them to blow across the border.
Obviously not from California. California needs neither the beef nor the Mexicans but at least the beef doesn't flood our hospitals, schools and jails.
In California, Johanns could probably beat Bush in a political primary. At least the Secretary is making an effort to limit Mexican imports that bankrupt our system.
The Secretary, who works for Bush, is making an effort to stop imports of Mexican cattle from Durango with possible bovine TB!
He also expressed his, "willingness to assist Mexico with corrective measures so we can resume normal trade with Durango."
No cattle in Kaleefornia, just fruits and nuts?
"No cattle in Kaleefornia, just fruits and nuts?"
And hundreds of Furious FReepers!!
farm/ranch ping
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