In mid-November, President Bush is set to travel to Asia for an economic summit. Among his objectives is a new, permanent trade pact with Vietnam.
The negative implications of the pact are not lost on the U.S. catfish industry, which has been unable to gain much traction in a protracted trade scuffle with Vietnamese fish imports. In a last-ditch effort to exert pressure and influence on trade reps and politicians, The Catfish Institute recently called for a “Catfish Caucus” to be formed in the U.S. Congress.
At the same time, aquaculture leaders continue to point out the dangers faced by U.S. consumers with continuing Vietnamese and Chinese mislabeling and poor farming practices.
In late October, Delta Farm Press spoke with Jeff McCord, trade consultant with The Catfish Institute about these issues.
Source: Delta Farm Press