US Restarts Avocado Checks in Michoacan After Security Deal

The US Department of Agriculture has partially resumed avocado inspections in Michoacán, Mexico, following a three-day suspension over safety concerns for inspectors. The resumption is a result of a security agreement that includes the deployment of 1,557 soldiers and National Guard personnel, aimed at reassuring US inspectors and maintaining the flow of a trade worth billions.

The USDA suspended inspections on August 5 after a security alert raised concerns for US inspectors working in the region. The resumption covers key production towns, including Tancítaro, Tacámbaro, Uruapan, and the corridor between Morelia and Pátzcuaro, according to a Spanish-language report quoting US Ambassador Ronald Johnson.

The US embassy emphasized that the decision was made after evaluating that safety conditions had improved sufficiently to allow inspectors to return. The avocado trade is a key economic lifeline for Michoacán, where thousands of jobs depend on the export chain, and the US takes nearly 90% of Mexican exports by volume.

Brief written by urgent.news from The Rio Times's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.