Making substantial improvements to the food safety requirements for imported food has been a high priority for the SSA for many years as a means to prevent the importation of farm-raised shrimp contaminated with illegal and dangerous antibiotics and pesticides, and the negative impacts of those illegal imports on the domestic shrimp producing industry.
September 10, 2010 letter to Senators
Consistent with the SSA’s objectives, the House passed very comprehensive food safety legislation in 2009 that substantially advances the scrutiny and control over shrimp imports and substantially enhances the ability of the FDA to prevent shrimp imports contaminated with dangerous antibiotics and pesticides from entering the U.S. market.
The bill also increases U.S. requirements for many domestic facilities and businesses that process, transport or store food products – including seafood – in order to prevent and respond to food safety problems.
Finally, the bill includes an amendment championed by Louisiana Congressman Charlie Melancon (D-LA) on behalf of the SSA to exempt fishing vessels from certain requirements of the bill that would have been impractical and onerous for the shrimp fishery.
10/1/07 Comments to the Interagency Working Group on Import Safety