Last updated: October 9, 2026
Mexico is one of the top destinations for U.S. beef, pork, poultry and dairy, and a large share crosses in refrigerated trucks at Laredo. These products run on a clock: a certificate issued with an error, or one figure that does not match, can leave the load waiting at the border. This guide sums up what must be ready before loading.
On the U.S. side
- The plant must be eligible to export that product to Mexico.
- Meat and poultry: the USDA inspection service export certificate issued for that shipment.
- Dairy: the sanitary certificate Mexico requires for the product.
- Commercial invoice, packing list and a USMCA certificate of origin if preferential treatment is claimed.
On the Mexican side
- A Mexican importer listed in the importer registry.
- The SENASICA animal-health requirements for that product and origin, looked up before buying.
- SENASICA inspection at the border and the import certificate that results from it.
- For some dairy and prepared foods, a COFEPRIS health permit as well.
- Spanish labeling under the NOM standard when the product goes to retail sale.
Requirements change by product, by plant and with the animal-health situation. Confirm them for your shipment before producing or packing.
What most often stops a refrigerated truck
- The USDA certificate does not match the invoice: weight, cases, lot, brand or plant.
- Case labels missing the details Mexico asks for.
- The plant or the product is not listed as eligible.
- Seals or temperatures that do not match what was declared.
- The importer has a lapsed registration or a missing permit.
That is why we review the full file before the truck leaves the plant. See document check before crossing and what to do when a shipment is held.
What Eilan does
- Compares certificates, invoice and labels before dispatch.
- Files the Mexican import and coordinates the sanitary inspection in Nuevo Laredo.
- Prepares the U.S. export with the same team, so both sides match.
- Handles refrigerated transfers in Laredo when the load changes trailers before crossing.
- Follows the crossing and tells your customer when the load is released.
Related guides: importing food products into Mexico and importing grain and seeds into Mexico.
Frequently asked questions
Do U.S. meat and dairy pay duty in Mexico?
Most enter duty-free under USMCA when the product meets the rule of origin and is certified. The tariff code and origin are confirmed for each product.
Where does the sanitary inspection take place?
At the border, at the inspection point authorized by SENASICA, before the load continues to its destination in Mexico.
What happens if the certificate has an error?
It usually has to be corrected or replaced at origin, and the load waits meanwhile. That is the main reason to review the documents before loading.
Send us your next shipment
Tell us the product, the plant of origin and the destination in Mexico. Contact us or call +1 (956) 717-4150, Monday to Friday, 9 AM to 6 PM Central.