The U.S. Department of Agriculture is adding Memphis, Tenn., to the list of limited ports of entry approved for semen, embryos, and products of horses, ruminants, and swine.

“Memphis has appropriate inspection facilities and our personnel are available to provide service at this location,” said Alfonso Torres, deputy administrator of veterinary services with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, a part of USDA’s marketing and regulatory programs mission area. “These factors enable us to provide importers with an alternative port of entry for these products.”

Until now, the closest ports of entry to Tennessee and surrounding states were Chicago, Ill., and Toledo, Ohio, to the north, and Atlanta, Ga., New Orleans, La., and Tampa, Fla., to the south.

In addition, Memphis serves as the first point of entry for Federal Express, a major international carrier of air freight. By adding Memphis as a new port, U.S. importers in a broader area of the country will be connected by air