Cattle Imported In-Bond for Feeding and Return to Mexico

We are amending the animal exportation and importation regulations by removing provisions that allow the temporary, in-bond importation of cattle from Mexico into the United States for feeding and return to Mexico for slaughter. We are taking this action because the U.S. Customs Service, to comply with provisions of the North American Free Trade Agreement, has discontinued its collection of duties and bonds on cattle imported into the United States from Mexico. Without a bond, we are unable to meaningfully penalize importers who fail to return those cattle to Mexico. We believe, therefore, that the current in-bond program must be terminated to prevent the dissemination into the United States of animal diseases by in-bond cattle that remain in the United States in violation of the regulations.