Gov. Greg Abbott last week ended his controversial order to inspect all commercial vehicles crossing Texas’ southern border, but the produce industry could be feeling the effects of the disruptive trade delays for weeks.
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The governor ordered troopers to thoroughly inspect every commercial truck coming from Mexico in what he described as an effort to stop illegal drugs and migrants from being smuggled into Texas. His order for increased state inspections led to snarling delays in trade between the two countries.
The Texas Tribune visited the Rio Grande Valley during the chaotic week in April and interviewed workers along several points of the supply chain, from transnational truck drivers to produce importers to fruit stand vendors. All were impacted by the slowdown at the Texas-Mexico border, and according to some experts, the road to a full economic recovery could be a long one.
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