Cross-border cattle cooperation benefits beef businesses

The United States and Mexico are at odds on several issues. In others, they cooperate. But as neighbors, we cannot ignore each other.

In the case of livestock, ranchers on both sides of the border benefit from examples of cooperation between the two countries.

Alfredo Corchado He recently wrote about cross-border cattle raising for the Dallas Morning News as Mexico border correspondent. He told the Texas Standard about his system. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below.

This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.

Texas Standard: Your story begins on a ranch in New Mexico, literally across the southern border. what are they doing there?

Alfred Corchado: Every morning, hundreds, perhaps thousands, of Mexican cattle wait for Customs and Border Protection to open the gates to the border. And there are hundreds, if not thousands, of cows running around on U.S. property.

And within seconds, some might say, they are “blessed” to become American citizens. They are headed to feedlots all over the United States, many of which are in the Amarillo/Panhandle area.

So when did this start and how many cattle entered the United States this way?

This has been going on for years. But over the years, thanks to technology and genetics, they have perfected what ranchers on both sides of the border call the perfect heifer, the perfect Angus.

And the weird thing is, if you like steak and you’re eating steak, that steak you’re drooling over might not even be from Texas. Maybe he’s Mexican. It could be from Chihuahua, or from Coahuila or Sonora.

Well, that’s interesting. Because I think you talked to an agricultural economist who said that the people who eat that steak might not like the idea that it comes from Mexico. Was that opinion shared by others you spoke to?

Yes, in fact, they call this a “gate to plate” process.

So the whole story with photographer Tom Fox actually took us from San Geronimo, Chihuahua, across the border, and other parts of New Mexico to the Panhandle. And we observed the development of the whole process. And you know, when the cows come from Mexico, they weigh about 200 pounds and then it’s up to the feedlot. So they kind of take over.

So by the time they arrive at the slaughterhouse, they weigh between 1,200 and 1,400 pounds. They feed on Texas grass, Texas soil. Therefore, it is often unclear whether they are from Texas or Chihuahua.

So how does sourcing cattle this way benefit the U.S. market?

Well, often the more cows you have, the cheaper the price is because of the supply chain. In some years, the drought in Chihuahua and the drought in Mexico led to fewer cattle and therefore higher prices. But ultimately I think both sides agree that genetics are getting better and better and that means better steaks.

Why do you think this is an example of such close cooperation when there are many examples of contentious relations between the United States and Mexico?

That’s a great question. I think this is an example. I think it’s a good border story. Because Texas has found something that is safe to cross the border with. And what the Chihuahua ranchers kept saying to me was, “If Texas has a problem, we have a solution.” The key is to cooperate, communicate with each other, and above all trust each other.

One of the things we found in the Texas Panhandle was a severe labor shortage. We then spoke to Chihuahua breeders. They said, “There’s a way to solve this problem, if only we can get away from toxic politics.”

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