Ezell, Carter, Letlow Introduce Bipartisan Safer Shrimp Imports Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  Representatives Mike Ezell (MS-04), Julia Letlow (LA-05), and Troy Carter (LA-02) today introduced the Safer Shrimp Imports Act, a bipartisan bill aimed at tightening federal inspection standards for imported shrimp and protecting American consumers and domestic seafood producers.

Imported shrimp accounts for roughly 90% of the shrimp consumed in the United States, much of which comes from countries with weak food safety standards and inadequate oversight of harmful contaminants such as antibiotics, pesticides, and bacteria. The Safer Shrimp Imports Act would require the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to significantly increase testing of imported shrimp and publicly report inspection results, giving consumers more confidence in the safety of what’s on their plates.
 
“Growing up on Mississippi’s Gulf Coast, I know how important the shrimp industry is—not just to our economy, but to our way of life,” Ezell said. “Our local gulf coast shrimpers are playing by the rules while foreign producers are flooding the market with unsafe, low-quality products. This bill is about leveling the playing field and protecting our American producers, and keeping America healthy.”

“As we work to restore an economy built on American sweat and labor, it’s vital that Congress stands up for our Gulf Coast shrimpers," Letlow said. "Our Safer Shrimp Imports Act would hold foreign governments accountable for dumping inferior, subsidized shrimp into American markets, contaminating our food supply and undercutting our Louisiana shrimpers.”

“This bill is a crucial step toward protecting Louisiana families and supporting Louisiana’s fishing industry. By holding foreign shrimp imports to the same safety standards as our domestic producers, this legislation will safeguard public health, promote fair trade, and guarantee consumers can trust what’s on their plates. I want to thank my colleagues Rep. Ezell and Rep. Letlow for standing with me and fighting for American shrimpers and the safety of our food supply,” Carter said. 

“The American Shrimp Processors Association strongly supports the Safer Shrimp Imports Act,” Trey Pearson, the president of the American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA) said. “Imports account for over 90 percent of the shrimp that Americans eat, and for far too long domestic shrimp producers have been forced to compete with imports that do not have to comply with our health and safety rules. If foreign countries cannot show that they meet our food safety standards, their shrimp should not be in this country, period.”

“Under the USDA’s equivalency requirements, if you want to import catfish or pangasius into this country, there are just 42 companies in three countries approved to ship that fish to the United States. Under the FDA’s current system, if you want to import shrimp, you can do so from anyone, anywhere, at any time. That’s why the FDA refused shrimp from ‘Rudong Zhengxiong Trade Co., Ltd.’ shipped to our East Coast in March and then, a month later, refused shrimp from ‘Zhengxiong (Rudong) Trade Co., Ltd.’ shipped to our West Coast,” John Williams, executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance said. “The Safer Shrimp Imports Act sets a common-sense minimum standard for exporting shrimp to this country by requiring that our trading partners administer a food safety system that is equivalent to our own.”