The Mexican Intermodal Transport Association (AMTI) reported that Mexican and U.S. authorities approved origin verification for the import of animal protein , which will contribute to building logistics solutions that strengthen the country’s competitiveness and the health security of the supply chain.

“The new system will allow health inspections and certifications to be carried out directly in the country of origin, which will streamline import processes, significantly reduce logistics times and costs, and minimize health risks, in addition to strengthening traceability and transparency in the operation,” the agency stated in a press release.

He clarified that the currently approved scheme only contemplates verification at source for animal protein products.

“This important progress is the result of a sustained effort of management, dialogue, and inter-institutional collaboration. AMTI will continue to support this process, providing timely information on the participation mechanisms for joining this new operating modality that will strengthen Mexico’s logistics chain,” he stated.

It’s worth remembering that this agency has been seeking, since 2024,   approval by the National Service of Health, Safety, and Agri-Food Quality (Senasica) for cargo inspection  from the point of origin, which would contribute to increasing the use of intermodal transport.

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In response to the resurgence of the screwworm affecting livestock in Mexico, the National Association of Federal Inspection Establishments (ANETIF) has issued an urgent call to the government and industry to work together to eradicate the pest.

Alonso Fernández , president of ANETIF , highlighted the need to resume previously successfully implemented strategies, such as the mass production of sterile flies in Chiapa de Corzo, Chiapas, which kept Mexico free of the pest until 2012, when the operation of a plant was suspended.

He also highlighted the importance of strengthening the National Service for Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality (Senasica) , providing it with greater resources to increase its operational capacity , which will allow it to deal with the emergency.

“As representatives of the meat industry, we support and recognize the efforts and strategies that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development , through the National Service of Health, Safety, and Agrifood Quality, has developed and implemented to address the health emergency we are facing,” Fernández acknowledged.

He also emphasized that Mexico is facing a problem that represents high economic losses , so he asked to reaffirm the commitment of the meat industry to work hand in hand with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (Sader) and protect the health status, to prevent the spread of the screwworm .

Finally, the executive noted that the larvae of the screwworm fly only affect live animals and pose no risk to human consumption of meat .

Last April, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brook Rollins accused the Mexican government of obstructing U.S. efforts to combat the screwworm plague and warned that this could lead to restrictions on Mexican cattle exports starting in May.

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The appearance of a case of screwworm in Chiapas has generated uncertainty in the country’s livestock sector, since the scope of the threat it represents is unknown, in response to which the National Association of Federal Inspection Type Establishments (ANETIF) proposed some preventive measures for beef producers, and the United States has suspended the importation of Mexican cattle as a precautionary action .

In this regard, Alonso Fernández Flores , president of ANETIF, indicated that biosecurity measures on ranches and establishmentsmust be reinforced , as well as establishing continuous inspection protocols for animals and products, and participating in monitoring and control campaigns organized by the authorities.

In addition, the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) temporarily suspended the importation of live animals originating in or transiting through Mexico.

“This could have a strong impact on the market and generate a contraction in the supply of beef, which will affect various sectors, but it could also open opportunities for producers and marketers of other proteins,” stressed the president of ANETIF.

Given the uncertainty surrounding this case, Fernández said that support will be strengthened for his more than 20 beef producer and marketing partners to deal with this situation, and noted that health authorities are already working on containment and eradication measures.

He added that to this end, they have requested a meeting with the National Service for Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality (SENASICA) in order to obtain detailed information and ensure the collaboration of their association in the control strategies.

“We reiterate our commitment to protect the integrity of the national meat industry and the interests of our members and we will be in constant communication to update them on the progress and measures taken,” said Alonso Fernández.

It is worth remembering that the United States is the main destination for exports of Mexican meat and products. In 2023, Mexico exported 258,940 tons of beef to its northern neighbor, which represented a value of 1.85 billion dollars .

In 1991, the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO) declared Mexico free of this plague, caused by a larva that feeds on the live flesh of warm-blooded animals.

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In the cumulative period from January to July 2024, the port of Laredo recorded a trade exchange of 194.47 billion dollars (mdd), that is, an increase of 5.07% compared to the same cycle in 2023. In this context, imports to the United States from Mexico were 119.97 billion dollars, while exports to Mexico were in the order of 74.61 billion dollars.

This volume of operations places the Port of Laredo as the main border port, while contributing 6.2% of the total trade of the United States, only behind the Port of Los Angeles, which contributes 6.6 percent.

Although manufactured goods are the main products exchanged through this border port, Port Laredo has implemented a series of actions to boost refrigerated cargo trade between Mexico and the United States.

For this reason, Port Laredo works with the National Service for Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality (SENASICA) to carry out joint inspections, which means that exporters can use special lanes on the Colombia-Laredo Bridge, said David González, Chief Agriculture Specialist of Port Laredo.

“To participate in these programs, the exporter needs to be in the CTPAT and the truck operators in the FAST (Free and Secure Trade Program),” said González.

In an interview with T21, he mentioned that interested companies must register with Mexican customs to participate in the joint inspection program.

He mentions that the road connection also allows for direct connectivity , and also has a partial rejection program where if any merchandise has a pest, only that product is not allowed to continue its entry.

“This has saved companies nearly six million dollars since 2019, because part of the shipment is saved and only what is contaminated is returned to Mexico. The Department of Agriculture told us that as long as the product is sealed in plastic bags, the maneuver to return the product to Mexico can be done without problem,” shared David González.

Cargo inspection is carried out in warehouses to ensure that the cold chain is not broken. Products handled include broccoli, celery, salad ingredients, flowers, tomatoes, among others.

“It’s not that they need the cold chain, but that they want to use the cold room, which is between five thousand and 10 thousand shipments a year. Normally we see about 20 to 25 shipments a day in the cold rooms,” said the Chief Agriculture Specialist of Port Laredo.

He said there are already plans to carry out an expansion , due to the expansion actions being carried out for the second Laredo bridge, which will mean an increase in foreign trade to the United States.

Currently, Port Laredo has six platforms for the cold chain, although they are not fully used. “There is the possibility of expanding and making something larger and with more technology to maintain the cold chain. We have the cold rooms, but the truck operator needs to open the doors and get close to the cold part and when this is done by opening the truck door, the heat enters and warms the product, not much. There is technology that allows the doors to be opened when the truck is next to the room and that is what we have on the Colombia bridge,” González described.

With the expansion of the bridges, work is being done to cope with the expected growth in cargo inspections. It is important to maintain the cold chain so that the product has a longer shelf life in the supermarket.

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The Mexican Intermodal Transport Association (AMTI) continues to make progress with the National Customs Agency of Mexico (ANAM) and the National Service for Health, Safety and Agri-Food Quality (Senasica) on Annex 29 and the inspection of cargo from the point of origin, respectively, which would contribute to increasing the use of intermodal transport.

Diego Anchustegui, president of the organization, mentioned that they will carry out tests through an application to comply with Annex 29, a document that is required for cross-border intermodal shipments .

“At AMTI, one of our goals is to facilitate the use of intermodal transport, and we managed to get ANAM to facilitate Annex 29 through an application. An email arrived in which you can download the application and start testing. They are starting to do tests and this will help us improve this tool,” he explained during the monthly AMTI meeting.

He indicated that this document is not requested when crossing roads , it is a procedure that is difficult for customers and complicates the use of this mode of transport.

Regarding Senasica , he specified that they are creating permits so that certain products can be inspected from the origin of the cargo.

“This is not related to intermodal, it does not help intermodal, it does not help an intermodal shipment to travel from origin, Chicago, to the final point in Mexico, so we are connecting with Senasica and we are developing projects so that inspection is done from origin,” he said.

Currently, any product must be inspected by this agency at the point of entry, that is, if something is being imported from the United States to Mexico, it must be inspected at the border.

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