The ban on Mexican avocados was lifted on Friday, resuming all exports of the fruit to the United States.

Following the threat to the US plant safety inspector on February 11th, the US banned the import of Mexican avocados “until further notice”. Since then, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has been to enact additional safety measures for inspectors working in the field.

Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash
Photo by charlesdeluvio on Unsplash
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Avocados are the latest to fall victim to the drug cartel turf battles and extorsion of avocado growers in the Western state of Michoacan. Michoacan is the only state in Mexico that is fully authorized to export to the US.

The inspector was responsible for ensuring shipments don’t carry harmful pests that could harm plants in the U.S. In a report by CBS News, the inspector received threats against him and his family when the inspector questioned the integrity and refused to certify the shipment.

The ban on Mexican avocado did not affect those that have already been shipped to the US, therefore not affecting avocado supply for the Superbowl.

Avocado Markets

Following the ban of Mexican avocados, people became worried that they would see higher avocado prices during the peak of the growing season. The peak growing season in Mexico is January through March, while in the U.S. it is April through September.

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According to a report from the USDA, in 2021, the U.S. imported $3 billion in avocados globally with $2.8 billion being from Mexico. In both 2020 and 2021, 80 percent of avocados grown in Michoacan went to U.S. markets.

The Best Burritos In The Cedar Valley - Photos/List

This radio station took a (very) informal poll on our Facebook page and here's a list of the most popular places in the Waterloo/Cedar Falls area to wrap your hands around a giant delicious burrito. You'll notice that they're listed in alphabetical order because it's hard to say that one is better than the other. Except for those cheap frozen burritos you can find in your grocer's freezer, those are truly disgusting. Especially, when you compare them to these local creations made with fresh ingredients and tender loving care. There's a surprising amount of fantastic Mexican restaurants in the area, let's check them out.

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