The current regulations on bovine tuberculosis will be modified to improve production, enhance competitiveness, and elevate the level of livestock farming in Mexico, highlighted Víctor Villalobos Arámbula, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development.
He specified that these changes will allow the National Campaign Against Bovine Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium bovis) to focus its efforts on eradicating this disease from the country.
He emphasized the livestock sector's commitment to modernizing mechanisms to establish healthier livestock farming that meets internal needs and fulfills international commitments, allowing Mexico to export meat and more than a million cattle per year.
He explained that the agreement for the campaign’s operation is a visionary regulation because its implementation anticipates challenges that could be faced by both national and global livestock production.
Meanwhile, the Director in Chief of the National Service for Health, Safety, and Agri-Food Quality, Javier Calderón Elizalde, noted that the current Official Mexican Standard NOM-031-ZOO-1995 is over 28 years old and required updating.
He stated that the cancellation of this standard and the publication of the new agreement that will replace it prioritized the need to modify the regulatory framework to direct it towards the eradication of bovine tuberculosis in cattle, bison, and buffalo production units across the country.
He also pointed out that another key aspect guiding the efforts to eradicate the disease is the agreements established with trade partners like the United States, which facilitate the export of over a million head of cattle, making it essential to adopt this new regulatory framework with an eye towards harmonizing it with international standards.