As the USDA moves closer to catfish inspection, domestic producers “may have received more than they bargained for,” reports the New York Times, which quotes a handful of experts. “Catfish producers asked for stronger regulations but I think many of them thought it would apply only to foreign producers,” said Dean Acheson, a former associate FDA commissioner. The Times says the USDA’s inspections, “which would be more like those conducted at meat and poultry processing plants, are conducted daily and are more rigorous than the sporadic checks” performed by the FDA.
Catfish producers asked Congress in 2008 to transfer catfish inspection from the FDA to the USDA. “Domestic catfish farmers say foreign-raised catfish is produced under lax safety standards,” especially fish from Southeastern Asia, says the Times. Foreign producers say their fish must pass rigorous testing before export. “Vietnam and other catfish exporters say the new office violates World Trade Organization rules, and the issue has now become part of the continuing Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, according to people familiar with the talks,” said the Times.