Mexico-Porcine Epidemic Disease Announcement
Report Highlights:
On Tuesday, June 25, 2013, the National Service of Health, Food Safety, and Food Quality (SENASICA) publicly announced restrictions on imports of live swine from the United States and that, through its review, has not detected the porcine epidemic diarrhea (PED) virus in Mexico. In calendar
year 2012, the United States exported 26,793 live swine to Mexico valued at U.S. $6.4 million. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is in discussion with SENASICA on these restrictions.
SENASICA announced its measures to prevent the introduction of PED into Mexico through a press release issued on Tuesday, June 25, 2013. The issue has been a significant source of concern for the Mexican pork sector which has been publicly calling on the Government of Mexico to take any
necessary precautions to support it and prevent the disease from entering Mexico. USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has been in discussion with SENASICA regarding PED and has shared information on the disease characteristics and has expressed its willingness for further collaboration. The trade safeguards that were in place through previously negotiated animal health requirements sheets (HRZs) and export certification documents (i.e., bilateral protocols) prior to the PED occurrence contained attestations that animals not show any clinical signs of disease and that they be quarantined at authorized facilities for a 30 day period prior to shipping.
SENASICA’s press release announced that the agency would:
1. Restrict the import of live swine from the United States with the objective of reviewing on a case-bycase basis the necessary zoosanitary requirements.
2. Request additional technical information regarding the outbreak from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), what counter-measures are being taken, and what risk mitigation measures are being taken for U.S. exported live swine.
3. Maintain epidemiological monitoring in swine production areas to identify any abnormal swine mortality rates.
