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Mexico suspends U.S. sheep and lamb variety meat imports following scrapie detection

The U.S. Meat Export Federation says Mexico’s trade restrictions following a recent scrapie detection has limited market access for U.S. sheep and lamb producers. 

Courtney Heller, director of technical and export services, says the move has added additional uncertainty for the industry. 

“We don’t have much of an alternative market,” she says. “It doesn’t bring quite the premium because Americans don’t typically prefer to eat variety meats or offal. This is something that we’ll need to find a different use for.”

In July, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service found a case of classical scrapie in a sheep at a slaughter facility in Oregon. It was the first case detected in the U.S. since 2021. Classical scrapie is a fatal, degenerative disease that affects the nervous system in sheep and goats. 

She tells Brownfield the organization is working to diversify market opportunities for U.S. producers.

“Most of these restrictions went into place during the mad cow outbreak back in 2004, and we’re still working to resolve those,” she says. “China is probably our largest potential market as well as Korea and a few others.”

Heller says the industry remains committed to reaching the World Organization for Animal Health’s 7‑year benchmark to self‑declared scrapie freedom.

Mexico is the number one export market for U.S. sheep and lamb variety meats.

AUDIO: Courtney Heller, USMEF