APHIS Announces Temporary Consolidation of Southern Border Livestock Ports of Entry

Effective December 17, 2021, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Veterinary Services is temporarily consolidating the operations of two port-of-entry facilities located on the U.S.-Mexico border – Eagle Pass, Texas, and Del Rio, Texas. All livestock inspection activities at Eagle Pass will be moved temporarily to Del Rio.

This temporary change is necessary to allow livestock imports to continue while APHIS identifies a permanent location for the Eagle Pass facility. Combined, consolidated services and expanded space at Del Rio will allow APHIS to operate full-time, Monday-Friday, and provide more efficient service to the region.

In preparation for the consolidated operations, APHIS will lease an additional five acres of land and implement building and site improvements at the Del Rio location, including new livestock pens.

APHIS operates nine port-of-entry facilities along the U.S.-Mexico border to facilitate trade between the two countries. Two of these ports, Eagle Pass, Texas, and Del Rio, Texas, are located within 60 miles of each other, serve the same Mexican state of Coahuila, and are served by the same APHIS staff at both locations. Both ports operate part-time, two to three days per week depending on the season.

During the consolidated operations at Del Rio, APHIS will look for a new port-of-entry facility for Eagle Pass. Once APHIS secures a new location for the Eagle Pass facility, Eagle Pass staff will return to servicing both ports with a rotating schedule.

APHIS will notify stakeholders via email, written letters, and signage at the two ports regarding the consolidation.

Contact information for all our Port Offices is available on the APHIS website.

Questions and comments can be directed to Southern Border Ports Veterinarian in Charge Tami Howard, tami.l.howard@usda.gov.

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