Food: Avocado crisis the ‘pits’ for USDA officials

Inspectors robbed at Mexican farm by ‘suspected criminal gang.’|

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has threatened to suspend its inspection of avocado producers and certification of their products due to threats and actual violence against its inspectors in Michoacán, Mexico.

The USDA issued travel warnings to 38 Michoacán municipalities in the avocado farming areas, according to the newspaper Reforma and Mexiconewsdaily.com.

While traveling with local authorities, some USDA agents were robbed and their car was stolen after a certification inspection was cancelled at an avocado farm in Copal, located within the municipality of Ziracuaretiro.

Marie Martin, of the USDA, told Reforma that “the avocado export program will be suspended if USDA personnel are put at risk again.” Americans might see this as an “import program.”

Culprits were alleged to be “a suspected criminal gang.”

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