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Published July 22, 2009 10:25 pm -
Dear editor: While many accusations
have been leveled at the domestic catfish industry and its pursuit of U.S.
Department of Agriculture (USDA) inspections, the intent of the U.S. catfish
industry has always been very clear – consumer safety. U.S. consumers currently believe that their seafood is subject
to the same rigorous inspection standards as those imposed on meat and
poultry products. However, that is not the case under the existing Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) standards, and the domestic catfish industry is
dedicated to fighting for increased consumer food safety. Seafood consumption in the United States now exceeds 4.9 billion
pounds annually. Of this amount, over 83% is imported, and less than one
percent of our seafood imports ever sees an inspector. Furthermore, only a
fraction of that amount is ever tested for contamination from illegal drugs
and chemicals. It is of great concern that inspections by the Canadian
government along the U.S. border and testing by the agriculture departments
of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana and Mississippi have found dangerous
and illegal drugs and chemicals in Asian fish imports that had already been
cleared by the FDA. To say that the FDA leaves U.S. consumers vulnerable is
an understatement. The first and foremost responsibility of the elected officials
of this country is to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens. The
assurance that the food we eat is safe should be an integral part of that
responsibility. Taking action to eliminate any threat to the safety of the
American public, including food safety, should be non-negotiable and
off-the-table in any political arena. Let’s hope our elected officials do the right thing. Joey Lowery, president, Catfish Farmers of America Indianola, MS |
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