USDA Supervisor Was Threatened Over Uncertified Avocado Shipment
A worker labels avocados at a packing facility in Periban, Michoacan state, Mexico.
Photographer: Jeoffrey Guillemard/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture said it’s maintaining a ban on avocados from Mexico for now, adding to concern that supply of the popular fruit may run low at some restaurants and grocery stores.
The USDA halted avocado imports from Michoacán, a coastal state west of Mexico City, on Feb. 11 after a supervisor received a “credible” phone threat to himself and his family because an inspector questioned the integrity of a particular shipment and refused to certify it.