UPDATE 2-Mexico clears more US meat plants, beefs up controls

(Recasts, adds government quotes, byline)

By Noel Randewich and Mica Rosenberg

MEXICO CITY, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Mexico's recent ban on imports from some U.S. meat producers is part of a plan to tighten sanitary controls, the government said on Tuesday, as five more plants complied with rules and were cleared for trade.

Mexico, a major buyer of U.S. meat, suspended shipments from 30 U.S. beef, lamb, pork and poultry plants as of Dec. 23, citing factors like packaging, labeling and transport conditions. It cleared 20 of them on Monday after the USDA reported corrective actions had been taken.

"Yesterday, we were notified of corrective actions at five additional plants, which today are returning to export meat products to Mexico," a source at the agriculture ministry told Reuters.

Mexican Agriculture Minister Alberto Cardenas told reporters the government was stepping up sanitary controls to keep contaminated meat out of Mexico.

"We are strengthening our system. There are more public funds now than ever to invest in specialists, laboratories and set up a network of controls at ports, airports," Cardenas said at a news conference.

U.S. analysts have said the bans were likely because of Mexico's opposition to a recently enacted meat labeling law. Mexico and the U.S. Agriculture Department have both denied the retaliation charge.

Plants owned by Tyson Foods Inc (TSN.N), Smithfield Foods Inc (SFD.N), JBS (JBSS3.SA) and privately owned Cargill Inc are among the plants cleared for export to Mexico, including Smithfield's Tar Heel, North Carolina, pork plant, the world's largest, according to a USDA report.

The full USDA report can be found ">here

Mexico is the top export market by volume for U.S. beef, veal and turkey, the second largest for pork, and the third largest for chicken, according to U.S. government statistics. (Additional reporting by Bob Burgdorfer in Chicago; Editing by Christian Wiessner)