Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer, asking him to support an elimination of the Agriculture Department’s (USDA’s) catfish inspection program, noting how the program has created a trade barrier against Asian catfish imports.
Vietnam on Feb. 27, challenged the U.S.’s catfish inspection program at the World Trade Organization (WTO), a case that the senators mentioned in the letter, which was addressed to Lighthizer, and also sent to Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.
McCain and Shaheen urged Lighthizer to support elimination of the program before the WTO consultation stage concludes on April 28, at which point either Vietnam or the U.S. can request the case be formally adjudicated by the WTO Dispute Settlement Body.
Further, President Donald Trump has requested removal of the program in his last two budget requests, the senators wrote.
“The Government Accountability Office (GAO), the FDA, and the USDA have all stated on the record that there is no legitimate food safety concern with catfish imports,” the letter said.
A U.S. loss on the ongoing WTO case could harm agriculture exports - including cotton, wheat, pork, soybeans, beef, poultry, eggs and fruit - McCain and Shaheen said, adding how Vietnam is the U.S.’s 10t largest agricultural export market.