Papers relating to the foreign relations of the United States, 1928, Volume III

Treaty Series No. 808

Convention Between the United States of America and Mexico, Signed at Washington, March 16, 1928⁴¹

The Government of the United States of America and the Government of the United Mexican States, being desirous to safeguard more effectually the live stock interests of their respective countries through the prevention of the introduction of infectious and contagious diseases, have, for that purpose, agreed to conclude a Convention, and have to that end appointed as their respective plenipotentiaries:

• The President of the United States of America, Frank B. Kellogg, Secretary of State of the United States of America; and
• The President of the United Mexican States, His Excellency Señor Don Manuel C. Téllez, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Mexican States at Washington;

Who, having exhibited to each other their respective full powers, which were found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles:

Article I

The High Contracting Parties agree to maintain at designated border and sea ports authorized for the importation of animals an adequate live stock sanitary police service to guard against the introduction of animals affected with or exposed to contagious disease, and to notify each other at least ten days in advance whenever a port is to be closed or a new one is to be opened. In case of live stock imported or in bond the official veterinary inspectors of either country are authorized to make inspections, supervise dippings, and apply the necessary testsupon either side of the border as may be convenient.

Article II

Quarantine stations shall be maintained by the High Contracting Parties at designated border and sea ports for animals imported from foreign countries. Such animals shall be kept under observation and subjected to tuberculin, mallein, blood, or other tests as may be necessary for the diagnosis of disease.

Article III

The High Contracting Parties agree to supervise the sanitary handling of animal by-products, forage, and other commodities offered for importation that may be carriers of infectious and contagious diseases and to prohibit the importation of forage or other articles accompanying live stock affected with such diseases or suspected of being so affected.

Article IV

The appropriate authorities of each of the High Contracting Parties shall incorporate in their regulations the necessary measures governing the disinfection of vessels and all kinds of vehicles used in the transportation of animals and of the quarantine stations or other premises occupied by animals affected with dangerously acute and rapidly spreading contagious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, rinderpest, contagious pleuro-pneumonia, and hog-cholera.

Article V

The competent officials of each of the High Contracting Parties shall prescribe the form and requirements of the permit and certificates to be presented as evidence that the animals are eligible for importation; of the manifests, bills of lading and other papers to be submitted by importers, captains of vessels, or others in charge of live stock offered for importation; and of the records to be kept by the veterinary officials at the ports of entry.

Article VI

The form and requirements of certificates which shall accompany shipments of animal by-products, hay, straw, and other imported commodities shall be specified by the duly authorized officials of each of the High Contracting Parties.

Article VII

It is agreed that an efficient veterinary live stock sanitary police service shall be maintained under the Department of Agriculture in the United States and the Secretaria de Agricultura y Fomento in Mexico to combat infectious, contagious, or parasitic diseases of live stock.

Article VIII

The live stock sanitary officials shall define the specific territory in their respective countries in which any contagious or infectious disease exists and shall indicate zones which may be considered as exposed, in order to prevent the propagation and dissemination of the infection of such disease.

Article IX

The High Contracting Parties shall not issue permits for domestic ruminants or swine originating in any foreign countries or zones where highly infectious and rapidly spreading diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease and rinderpest appear frequently, until at least sixty days have elapsed without any outbreak of the disease in such countries or zones. When a disease of this kind occurs in any part of a foreign country any other part of the same country shall be considered as exposed until the contrary is positively shown, that is, until it is shown that no communication exists between the two parts by which the disease may be readily transmitted. When such a disease occurs near the land border of a foreign country, the neighboring part of the adjacent country shall be considered as exposed until the contrary is positively shown.

Article X

It is agreed that the respective governments shall notify each other promptly, through the usual diplomatic channels, of the appearance and extent of seriously acute, contagious diseases. In the case of outbreaks of diseases of this character not recently existing in either country information may be transmitted immediately in the most expeditious manner.

Article XI

The High Contracting Parties agree to exchange the official regulations, periodicals, and other publications that may come out in their countries on the subject matter of this Convention and information concerning changes and substitutions which may be developed in the methods of prophylaxis, control, and care of animal diseases; and also to establish an interchange of students and experts and visits of representatives of the respective governments, for the purpose of studying and observing on the ground methods of control and eradication of such diseases as may break out in the territory of either of the nations.

Article XII

Special regulations shall be issued by each of the High Contracting Parties governing the movement of live stock between the respective countries. These regulations shall specify in each case the veterinary sanitary police measures applicable.

Article XIII⁴³

Certificates of inspection and testing of live stock, issued by duly authorized veterinarians of either country, shall be accepted as proof that such inspection and testing have been made; but, in any case of the offer of live stock for importation into either country, the issuance of such certificate shall not preclude further tests of such animals, or further investigation with respect thereto, to determine their freedom from or exposure to disease, before entry is permitted.

Article XIV

This Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifications exchanged at the city of Washington as soon as possible.

The Convention shall come into effect at the date of publication in conformity with the laws of the High Contracting Parties, and it shall remain in force until thirty days after either party shall have given notice to the other of a desire to terminate the Convention.

In Witness Whereof, they have signed the present Convention and have affixed thereto their respective seals.

Done in duplicate, in the English and Spanish languages, at the City of Washington, this sixteenth day of March, one thousand nine hundred and twenty-eight.

Frank B. Kellogg

[seal]

Manuel C. Téllez

[seal]

41. In English: and Spanish; Spanish text not printed. Ratification advised by the Senate, Mar. 28 (legislative day of Mar. 27), 1928; ratified by the President, Apr. 7, 1928; ratified by Mexico, Dec. 13, 1929; ratifications exchanged at Washington, Jan. 17, 1930; proclaimed by the President, Jan. 18, 1930.
43. A few minor changes in the English text of art. XIII as set forth in the Secretary of State’s note to the Mexican Ambassador, Feb. 17, 1927, appear to have been made at the time of the signing of the convention.