Hinds Today

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith has introduced the Safer Shrimp Imports Act (S.667) in an effort to improve the quality and safety of imported shrimp consumed in the United States. With 90 percent of shrimp consumption in America sourced from abroad, this legislation aims to enhance federal inspection standards for these imports.

The proposed bill mandates inspections of overseas shrimp facilities and requires that foreign countries exporting shrimp to the U.S. adhere to food safety inspection standards equivalent to those followed by U.S. producers. According to Senator Hyde-Smith, "There are three key reasons why this bill is urgently needed. First, it would give American consumers greater confidence that the imported shrimp they’re eating isn’t contaminated with drugs. Second, it aligns with the President’s Make American Healthy Again goals to eliminate harmful chemicals in the food supply. And third, it will help level the playing field for American shrimpers who suffer because foreign governments dump their subsidized and tainted shrimp on the U.S. market."

Senator Hyde-Smith also criticized the FDA's current approach to seafood inspection, stating, "The FDA has been lackadaisical about seafood inspection for far too long, contributing to a silent public health crisis in America." She expressed her intention to collaborate with President Biden and HHS Secretary Kennedy on this issue.

The act proposes that the FDA adopt international equivalence standards similar to those used by the USDA for catfish imports. This would ensure that a larger percentage of seafood imports are tested for drugs or contaminants not allowed in domestically produced shrimp.

Trey Pearson, President of the American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA), praised Senator Hyde-Smith's efforts: "We have worked hard for nearly a decade to ensure foreign shrimp producers comply with the same stringent health and safety requirements as our domestic producers. Senator Hyde-Smith’s ongoing attention to these issues is critical, and her introduction of the Safer Shrimp Imports Act brings us one step closer to necessary equivalence in health and safety standards."

The bill has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions for further consideration.