By Jennifer Whitlock
Field Editor

Exporting livestock from Texas is now a little easier with the unveiling of a newly renovated livestock export facility in Del Rio. It’s the second facility to undergo renovations since Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller was elected to head the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) in 2015.

“These export facilities are tools to help get Texas livestock around the world,” Miller said in a statement. “I am proud of my department for taking the initiative to construct these top-of-the-line facilities.”

There are five livestock export facilities in Texas: Brownsville, Del Rio, El Paso, Laredo and Houston.

Any animal exported to other countries is generally required by the receiving country to have an international health certificate completed by an accredited veterinarian. The export pens are designed to help facilitate the process of sharing quality Texas-raised livestock with the rest of the world.

The export pens at Brownsville, Del Rio, El Paso and Laredo are used by individuals seeking to export cattle via ground shipping to Mexico. The Houston export facility, located near the Houston-Bush International Airport, is set up to assist exporters using air and sea transport methods to take livestock anywhere around the globe. Updates and renovations were completed at that facility in summer 2020.

“Beef cattle are one of the top five agricultural exports in Texas, so the livestock export pens are a valuable resource for Texas ranchers and the livestock trade,” Texas Farm Bureau Associate Director of Commodity and Regulatory Activities Tracy Tomascik said. “They help facilitate the marketing of our animals with foreign partners, so we’re very glad to have them and glad to see TDA is keeping them up-to-date and modernized to keep agricultural commerce flowing.”

The grand opening event in Laredo included a blessing of the facility by a local priest. Miller also presented a GO TEXAN Certified Retirement Community certificate to the City of Del Rio.

“My folks here at TDA and I cannot thank the city of Del Rio enough for their support on this project,” he said. “They are an essential component of safely exporting Texas livestock and I know this new facility will aid in continuous positive exporting relationships.”

Information on exporting livestock from Texas, as well as a guide for exporting cattle to Mexico, are available from TDA. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service also provides information on live animal and animal product exports.