Mónica Ortiz Uribe/KJZZ

Cattle in the Southwest.

Arizona cattle at the Mexico border will have a smoother trip between countries thanks to federal oversight changes in the importing and exporting process.

Before, when cattle got shipped to the border, the paperwork to get them between the countries took three or four days. That’s because the paperwork would need to be shipped to a federal office, signed and then shipped back.

Now, U.S. Department of Agriculture veterinarians on-site at the border can sign off on the export papers.

Arizona state veterinarian Peter Mundschenk worked with his counterparts in Mexico and the USDA to help streamline the process. He said the Mexican market is good for local cattlemen simply because of proximity.

“Most of the beef cattle end up at slaughter facilities in either Utah or Texas. Sending them down to Mexico, to Hermosillo, is a two-hour drive versus umpteen hours to Texas or 12 hours to Utah.”

The bottom line is more cattle to Mexico faster.