California avocado growers are expressing concerns over a U.S. decision to transition pest inspections from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) personnel to the Mexican government. Historically, USDA inspectors have played a critical role in guarding against the importation of avocados from Mexico that could be infested with pests detrimental to the U.S. avocado industry. This shift is a departure from practices established in 1997, aimed at protecting U.S. crops from invasive species.
The California Avocado Commission has voiced apprehension regarding the efficacy of Mexican inspectors in maintaining the stringent standards previously upheld by USDA inspectors, especially in the face of threats and violence that have targeted USDA personnel in Mexico. These concerns stem from past incidents where USDA inspectors faced threats for refusing to certify shipments that did not meet U.S. standards, leading to temporary suspensions of inspections.
Despite the Mexican Agriculture Department's assertion that the new agreement signifies U.S. confidence in Mexican growers, who purportedly have not encountered any sanitary issues in over 27 years, the reality of threats and violence against USDA inspectors tells a different story. Notably, in 2022, inspection activities were halted following a threat to a USDA inspector in Michoacan, a region known for extortion by drug cartels and for being one of the only two states in Mexico certified to export avocados to the U.S.
This decision has prompted the California Avocado Commission to seek clarity on the rationale behind replacing APHIS inspectors with their Mexican counterparts, especially considering the critical role these inspections play in safeguarding the U.S. avocado industry from pest invasions. The U.S., heavily reliant on Mexican avocado imports to meet demand, now faces uncertainty regarding the future efficacy of pest management in imported avocados.
Source: AP News