According to area ranchers, millions of dollars have been lost due to the USDA’s refusal to inspect U.S. bound cattle for entrance through the Douglas Port since the inspections were halted in January because of drug-related violence in Agua Prieta, Mexico.
Finally on Friday, Arizona Congressman Ron Barber announced that he has received confirmation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it will resume inspections. Ann Wright, acting assistant secretary of USDA, told Barber that USDA hopes to have the cattle inspections resume by May 19.
Barber’s staff sent out a press release and refused to answer any questions on the matter.
According to Barber’s press release, Wright said between now and May 19, USDA will be working on mitigations to allow resumption of the inspections. These mitigations include Mexico agreeing to provide police or military officials to escort USDA inspectors while they are in Mexico, equipping the inspectors with tracking devices and obtaining permission from Customs and Border Protection for the inspectors to re-enter the United States without passing through Agua Prieta in case of an emergency.
In a letter this week to Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, Barber said that “this restriction has brought the cattle commerce in Douglas and the surrounding area to a halt during its prime season.”
Barber also told Vilsack what he has privately only told area leaders; that he was given “a bureaucratic run around” when he pressed for an explanation on what facts were used to determine the Agua Prieta area was unsafe for U.S. cattle inspectors.
“I understand that safety of USDA cattle inspectors is paramount, but it is critical that we find a way to resume these inspections because of the serious negative impact on the economies of Douglas and other parts of Southern Arizona and the ranching community,” Barber said.
Barber claims that the USDA has found a way to have the inspectors protected so they can continue their work. Others say that the inspectors were never really at risk, but political game playing with the border is now standard operating procedure for the Obama administration.
According to Barber and other leaders, residents, and business people have spoken with officials at every level of USDA and written letters urging the USDA to resume inspections. Barber asked the USDA to explain their decisions to halt the inspections in Agua Prieta.
Barber claimed that he told the USDA he would personally escort U.S. inspectors into Mexico to demonstrate that the area is safe.
Barber also sent a letter this week to Kevin Shea, administrator of the USDA’s Plant and Animal Health Inspection Service.
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