Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 1/20/10

Mexico's agricultural agency, SAGARPA, will delay until March 15 the implementation of new inspection procedures for U.S. meat products entering Mexico in combo bins, the U.S. Meat Export Federation said in a note to its members.

Implementation of the new protocols, first scheduled to take effect in January 2009, already has been postponed several times in the last year. The latest extension was to have expired Jan. 15.

"No official reason (for the delay) has been given by SAGARPA, and we feel it would be unwise to speculate," USMEF spokesman Joe Schuele told Meatingplace in an e-mail.

USMEF said it will offer more details once the new procedures are finalized.

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