Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

ALBUQUERQUE – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today said he is pleased that the American ranchers can resume exporting beef cattle to Mexico.

Mexico barred live cattle imports in 2003 when an isolated case of “mad cow” disease was detected in a Canadian-born dairy cow in the state of Washington. In 2006 Mexico’s ban on dairy heifers was lifted. Today’s action means New Mexico ranchers can resume exporting live beef cattle, as well.

“The past few years have been hard on our state’s cattle ranchers. Finally, New Mexico’s ranchers are able to resume exporting live cattle, including breeding bulls, to Mexico,” Bingaman said. 

In 2002, before the ban, the United States exported over 90,000 beef cattle to Mexico; since the ban, it’s been zero.