Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), joined by Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), has introduced legislation to strengthen America’s domestic seafood market. The Let Americans Buy with Explicit Labeling (LABEL) Act would require clear, readable country-of-origin labels. If a package or display says “SHRIMP” in big letters, the country of origin must be the same size or larger. No more hiding “Product of India” in microscopic print on the back.
This change helps consumers make informed choices by making it easy to identify the source of seafood. It prevents imported shrimp from appearing as U.S. wild-caught shrimp—premium, better-tasting, and sustainably harvested by American fishermen to high U.S. standards.
“Consumers consider many factors when choosing a seafood product—many of which depend greatly on where the seafood was produced,” said John Williams, executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “We are grateful for this bill that would prevent imported shrimp from stealing the strong reputation of U.S. wild-caught shrimp.”
Why It Matters
Imported shrimp makes up more than 93% of the U.S. market, yet packaging may use patriotic colors and imagery that mislead buyers. American shrimpers provide a high-quality, flavorful shrimp from local waters to our country’s markets, supporting fishing communities across the Southeast. Domestic fishermen follow strict U.S. environmental, labor, and food safety rules while competing against countries known to use forced labor, banned antibiotics, and harmful environmental practices in their shrimp supply chains. But none of that matters if customers can’t tell U.S. wild-caught shrimp apart from farm-raised imports when they go to make their purchase.
State Laws Lead the Way and There Is More to Be Done
The LABEL Act is inspired by a 2025 Mississippi state law (MS Code Section 69-1-55(4)) that took effect this July, which requires the font of the country-of-origin label on seafood or crawfish to be “at least of the same size as the name of the seafood or crawfish being sold or promoted.”
Consistent with Mississippi’s law, the proposed federal legislation improves on existing Country-of-Origin Labeling (COOL) rules by requiring the same size font for the country of origin and product label.
Beyond the label size, the states of Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, and Texas have also addressed other weaknesses in federal COOL rules by:
- Prohibiting misleading marketing – you can no longer market imported shrimp as domestic in Texas restaurants;
- Requiring disclosure at food service establishments on menus in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi;
- Covering all seafood retailers—not just grocery stores, but fish markets and specialty seafood shops;
- Covering cooked shrimp as well as all other shrimp products; and
- Providing clear methods for reporting violations through online portals
Current federal law requires country-of-origin labeling of seafood at grocery stores. All restaurants, most fish houses and seafood markets, and cooked shrimp are exempt. There are no font-size requirements.
The USDA’s enforcement record of existing COOL requirements is unclear. The agency stopped publishing how many stores they even check, and there isn’t a clear process for how violations should be reported.
Demand for clear labeling is growing. Since 2024, Louisiana, Alabama, and Texas have passed labeling and disclosure laws and similar legislation has been introduced in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina. Senator Hyde-Smith’s and Senator Tuberville’s LABEL Act shows that there is strong interest in improving federal COOL requirements as well.
What This Means for U.S. Shrimpers
- Compete on quality, not confusion. Marketing studies show Americans want to buy domestic shrimp when given a choice—they just need to know which product actually packs the flavor and crispness of U.S. wild-caught shrimp
- Sustain a premium market. Honest labels allow for price differentiation. When farm-raised imported shrimp masquerade as U.S. wild-caught shrimp, they undercut the value and reputation of the authentic product.
- The best product should win. This isn’t a handout or a subsidy. It’s transparency. It’s truth in advertising. It’s giving American shrimpers a fair shot in their own market and helping consumers decide what ends up on their dinner plate.
“When consumers know what they’re buying, U.S. shrimpers can compete on quality and integrity. Honest labeling sustains a premium market, rewards ethical producers, and lets the best product win,” said Blake Price, deputy director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “We thank Senator Hyde-Smith and Senator Tuberville for introducing the LABEL Act to increase transparency for seafood consumers.”
Additional Resources
See Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith’s (R-MS) press release: https://www.hydesmith.senate.gov/hyde-smith-introduces-label-act-require-clear-seafood-labeling
Learn more about state labeling laws: https://shrimpalliance.com/issues/industry-enhancement-efforts/seafood-labeling-laws/