TPP countries protest catfish inspection move
June 30, 2014 | 05:18 PM
Ten nations out of the 12 involved in the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement are protesting the catfish inspection program, claiming it is a trade barrier, The New York Times reported over the weekend.
The 2008 farm bill moved catfish inspection from the Food and Drug Administration to the Agriculture Department and the 2014 farm bill clarified the details of the shift, but major catfish exporters, including Malaysia and Vietnam, say the new inspection system discriminates against foreign suppliers.
▪ The New York Times — U.S. Catfish Program Could Stymie Pacific Trade Pact, 10 Nations Say
The 2008 farm bill moved catfish inspection from the Food and Drug Administration to the Agriculture Department and the 2014 farm bill clarified the details of the shift, but major catfish exporters, including Malaysia and Vietnam, say the new inspection system discriminates against foreign suppliers.
▪ The New York Times — U.S. Catfish Program Could Stymie Pacific Trade Pact, 10 Nations Say