Less than three months after USDA began inspection of catfish imports, the Senate voted, 55-43, to nullify the program. The method it chose, a joint resolution of disapproval under the Congressional Review Act of 1996, has knocked out only one federal regulation, a Labor Department rule on ergonomics in 2001.
Arizona Sen. John McCain, sponsor of the resolution, said the inspection program was a waste of money and “serves no other purpose than to benefit a handful of special interest domestic catfish farmers in Southern states.” Mississippi Sen. Thad Cochran, who helped create the USDA program, argued USDA was the best-experienced body to “ensure that farm-raised meat products, including catfish, are as safe as possible.”
The Senate resolution, SJRes 28, now goes to the House for a vote and if successful there, to the White House for signature or veto. The administration has not taken a position on the catfish resolution nor was there companion legislation in the House to the Senate resolution.
Traditionally, FDA is in charge of seafood inspection but Congress voted in 2008 to transfer catfish inspection to USDA. It took seven years to work out the details, with USDA taking charge on March 1.
The switch-over called for USDA to inspect all imported catfish, just as it inspects all red meat and poultry. By contrast, FDA samples a small portion of imported fish. U.S. producers said they were skeptical that overseas production standards were as strong as domestic ones.
“This program has nothing to do with food safety. It’s an illegal trade barrier that wastes taxpayer dollars and threatens jobs in New Hampshire and across the country,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.