WASHINGTON - U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall are urging the Obama administration to find a way for cattle to once again cross the U.S.-Mexico border at the Columbus Port of Entry. Their request comes one day after that cattle gate was closed due to U.S. Department of Agriculture's decision to restrict its veterinarians from crossing the border because of safety concerns.
New Mexico ranchers purchase "feeder" cattle from Mexico to supplement their herds; additionally, other animals are transferred through the crossing. Before animals are allowed to come into New Mexico, they are first inspected by a USDA veterinarian to ensure they are disease-free. The decision to close the gate at Columbus places a significant burden on New Mexico ranchers.
In letters to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the senators asked for the two federal agencies to find a resolution to the problem that satisfies safety concerns as well as the needs of New Mexico ranchers.
"This sudden closure has made it hard for New Mexico ranchers to cross livestock at the border. I am confident that the State Department and the U.S. Agriculture Department can solve this problem while protecting the safety of USDA veterinarians," Bingaman said.
"This sudden restriction hurts the local economies along our southern border, threatens jobs and negatively impacts our ranchers," said Udall. "It's bad for Luna County and bad for the families living near Columbus. We're conveying this problem to the administration so we can reach a better solution."
A text of the letters sent to Clinton and Vilsack follows:
On Friday, March 2 Luna County and the City of Deming were notified by USDA that cattle crossings via the Columbus, New Mexico port of entry (POE) would terminate on Tuesday, March 6. Our offices were subsequently contacted by both county and city officials about the USDA announcement. We have learned that the termination relates to USDA restricting its veterinarians from crossing the border because of safety concerns. We understand that this decision was taken by USDA in consultation with the State Department's Regional Security Officer.
The safety of U.S. Government personnel is paramount and we are aware of the recent update to the Mexico Travel Warning regarding the need to take precautions when traveling on official business. We urge the State Department to work with USDA to come up with an immediate solution that enables the cattle to continue crossing at the Columbus POE in a manner that also addresses the security concerns. In addition, we would ask that the Department of State provide a regional assessment of the security near Puerto Palomas border area in order to ensure that USDA and State Department officials are taking the proper precautions for the local security environment. Given the short distance traveled by the veterinarians on the Mexican side of the border, we are optimistic that a flexible arrangement that can meet both security and industry needs will be found.
The Luna County Manager has proposed possible alternate arrangements. One possible simple solution would be to allow the veterinarians to use an existing gate between the Mexican and American sides of the cattle crossing. This option would limit the travel of USDA veterinarians to only a couple of hundred feet into Mexico.
We appreciate the time that State Department and USDA officials in Washington took on Tuesday, March 6 to discuss the issue with our staff. We respectfully request that the situation continue to be reviewed carefully on an urgent basis and that full consideration be given to all the possible solutions. We are grateful for your prompt attention to this matter.
Jeff Bingaman Tom Udall
U.S. Senator U.S. Senator
