NAFTA AGRICULTURE FACT SHEET:
Cattle and Beef

TREATMENT OF TARIFFS:

U.S. Import Tariffs

• Upon enactment of the NAFTA on January 1, 1994, the United States immediately eliminated the tariff of 2.2 cents per kilogram on beef cattle imports from Mexico.
• The United States also immediately eliminated tariffs on fresh, chilled and frozen beef and veal imported from Mexico. Depending on the type of cut, these tariffs range from a specific tariff of 4.4 cents per kilogram to 4 percent or 10 percent on an ad valorem basis.
• U.S. imports of beef edible offal (variety meats) from Mexico already entered the country duty-free.

Mexican Import Tariffs

• Mexico's 15-percent tariff on live slaughter animals, 20-percent tariff on fresh/chilled beef, and 25-percent tariff on frozen beef were eliminated immediately upon enactment of the NAFTA. These duties were put in place on November 11, 1992. Prior to that time, they had been zero.
• Mexico's 20-percent import tariff on beef edible offal from the United States (and Canada) is being phased out over a 10-year period.

TREATMENT OF QUANTITATIVE RESTRICTIONS:

• When the NAFTA took effect, Mexico was exempted from import quotas that could have been imposed at the time under the U.S. Meat Import Act.

U.S. Live Cattle and Beef Trade with Mexico

Live Cattle

Value in $1,000; volume in number of head.

Beef and Veal, Fresh/Chilled/Frozen

Value in $1,000; volume in metric tons.

Beef Variety Meats

Value in $1,000; volume in metric tons. No imports from Mexico.

Last modified: Friday, November 18, 2005