The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agency Appropriations Act of 2027 (HR 8646) last week by a vote of 213 to 210. The bill included three provisions of importance to the U.S. shrimp industry.
- First, the legislation provides $500,000 to fund the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Office of Seafood in fiscal year (FY) 2027, a new position to promote American fishermen that was championed by a large coalition of commercial fishing organizations, including the Southern Shrimp Alliance.
- Second, the bill directs the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to spend no less than $15 million on inspections of foreign seafood manufacturers and examinations of imported seafood.
- Third, it prohibits the expenditure of federal funds to purchase raw or processed seafood imported into the United States from China for USDA school lunch and child nutrition programs.
Increasing Congressional Support
Directed funding to the FDA for oversight of foreign seafood and the ban on federal purchases of Chinese seafood extends longstanding priorities for the Southern Shrimp Alliance and its members. Continued appropriations for the USDA’s Office of Seafood marks further progress for commercial fishing industries in the development of federal programs that impose minimal burdens on U.S. taxpayers.
Early interactions with the USDA’s Office of Seafood have led to cautious optimism about a fundamental change in the federal government’s approach to U.S. commercial fishing industries. For members of the shrimp industry, this belief in meaningful change was reflected in two amendments offered to the FY27 Agriculture Appropriations bill by Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX) that would have further strengthened the relationship between American seafood producers and the USDA:
1) An increase to the Office of Seafood account by $1,500,000 to ensure American fishermen can access the tools they need.
2) A directive instructing the USDA’s Economic Research Service to evaluate best practices for recruiting and retaining labor in the shrimp industry.
Explaining the need for the legislation, the latter amendment was submitted with the following summary:
“Congress is aware of the scarcity of skilled agricultural labor, particularly for domestic shrimpers who also face ongoing market pressures from unfair trade practices and fuel costs.”
Although the House Rules Committee declined to allow further consideration of these proposed amendments, both reflect high-impact, low-cost government initiatives that would provide significant benefits to American shrimpers and merit further consideration as the appropriations process for FY27 continues.
“Recognizing the U.S. shrimp industry as vital economic engines for our coastal communities, Congressman Gonzalez has once again demonstrated that there are simple, commonsense steps Congress can take to strengthen our domestic seafood supply and local economies,” said Blake Price, Director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. “We thank him for increasing his non-coastal colleagues’ awareness of the scarcity of skilled agricultural labor and ongoing market pressures from unfair trade practices and fuel costs.”
Recognizing the Challenges Facing All American Seafood Producers
The challenges facing shrimpers are not unique to the U.S. shrimp industry. They are shared by many other American seafood producers that are struggling to survive. Federal government policies have made seafood the nation’s most import-dependent food sector. As a result, the vast majority of the fish and shellfish Americans eat now come from foreign producers rather than U.S. fishermen and aquaculture operations. Nevertheless, despite the existential threat facing thousands of commercial fishermen and fish farmers across the nation, there is limited appreciation for the severity of the circumstances outside communities that depend on seafood production. Encouragingly, that awareness is expanding.
For example, during a Rules Committee hearing on a “Buy America” requirement for SNAP purchases, there was a notable exchange between Congressman Austin Scott (R-GA) and the Chair of the House Ag Appropriations subcommittee, Congressman Andy Harris (R-MD). Representing the eastern shore of Maryland, where the domestic seafood industry remains both culturally and economically important, Rep. Harris voiced his support of the provision, explaining that federal expenditures on the program were inappropriately subsidizing foreign food production. Explaining the dangers of this approach, Congressman Harris observed: “We’re importing seafood from other countries where we don’t know what’s in them. We’re not really doing good inspections …”
“For far too long, nationwide policy discussions regarding the U.S. seafood market have been framed by importing interests masquerading as representatives of American seafood producers,” said Price. “Consequently, we have outsourced our seafood supply chains to foreign countries with weaker food safety systems, minimal labor protections, and lax environmental regulations. While this has increased the availability of cheap seafood in the U.S. market, it has also devastated coastal and farming communities throughout the nation and undermined American consumer confidence in what should be a healthy, wholesome protein option. The Southern Shrimp Alliance is proud to stand with anyone committed to reversing these trends.”
Watch the exchange here: https://www.youtube.com/live/hX0udWy90ow?t=2264s
Next Stop: The Senate
The bill now moves to the Senate, where SSA will continue to support funding for the USDA’s Office of Seafood and for the FDA’s inspection of foreign seafood, as well as a complete ban on federal purchases of Chinese seafood. SSA intends to also advocate for Congressman Gonzalez’s proposals to increase the funding commitment to the new Office of Seafood and to develop long-term solutions to the labor challenges currently confronting the commercial shrimp fishing sector.