Recently Published Academic Studies Highlight the Importance of Monitoring Antimicrobial-Resistant Pathogens in Imported Shrimp
When President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act 2019 into law last month, the bill provided the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) with “$500,000 to test Antibiotic Resistance in Imported Seafood.” By specifically funding a testing program, Congress emphasized the importance of detecting and monitoring antimicrobial pathogens on imported seafood, including shrimp. Congress’s creation of a new testing program coincides […]
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Letter to USTR
Congressional Letter Urges U.S. Trade Representative to Address Seafood Safety Issues in Trade Negotiations Today, Representatives Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Walter Jones (R-N.C.), and Senator Mary Landrieu sent a joint bipartisan letter to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Ronald Kirk, urging his office to tackle seafood safety problems in ongoing negotiations over the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) Free Trade Agreement. The Congressional […]
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Shrimp Industry Lauds Georgia’s Sampling & Testing Program; Requests Greater Vigilance
Today, the Southern Shrimp Alliance and the Georgia Shrimp Association sent a joint letter to the Commissioner of Georgia’s Department of Agriculture in response to a public records release of information relating to the state’s seafood sampling and testing program. The joint letter recognizes the Department’s substantial efforts to ensure the health and safety of Georgia’s consumers, resulting in 400 […]
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FDA: India Implemented Mandatory Testing for Shrimp
FDA ANNOUNCES THAT INDIA HAS IMPLEMENTED A MANDATORY TESTING PROGRAM FOR SHRIMP EXPORTED TO THE UNITED STATES In response to concerns presented by the Southern Shrimp Alliance regarding a significant increase in shipments of shrimp from an Indian exporter currently subject to two separate Import Alerts, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provided additional details regarding the agency’s efforts […]
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Shrimpers Welcome Amendment to Improve Imported Seafood Safety
Tarpon Springs, Fla.— The final Senate version of the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act is a major step towards improving the Food and Drug Administration practices with respect to imported seafood. The legislation includes many reforms similar to the Imported Seafood Safety Act, a bill originally introduced by Senator David Vitter, and reflects the input of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. […]
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Developing Standards and Testing
Developing Standards and Testing The SSA is a primary sponsor and partner in efforts by the Association of Analytical Communities (AOAC) International to develop testing methods and standards to identify various harmful contaminants in seafood. Richard Vendetti represented the SSA by serving on the AOAC International’s Stakeholders Panel for Marine and Freshwater Foods. During a two-day conference, the Panel worked […]
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Enhancing Food Safety
ENHANCING FOOD SAFETY: CONTENTSProviding Enforcement Solutions Developing Standards and Testing The Southern Shrimp Alliance shapes the debate on food safety and related legislation through research, written analyses, briefings, and Congressional hearing testimony. The SSA has demonstrated that the relatively lax U.S. imported food safety regime and the widespread use of banned substances to increase the production of foreign pond-raised shrimp […]
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Shrimpers Welcome Testing of Water Column
Tarpon Springs, Fla.—The Southern Shrimp Alliance, which represents the U.S. wild-caught shrimp industry in eight states, welcomed news that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be testing sediment samples from the seafloor in areas near the Deepwater Horizon oil spill sources. The Southern Shrimp Alliance has been one of the first and most vocal groups to express concern […]
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Long-term Effects of Dispersant Cause Concern for Shrimpers
Tarpon Springs, Fla.—The Southern Shrimp Alliance, which represents the U.S. wild-caught shrimp industry in eight states, has expressed concern to federal government agencies about the potentially harmful effects of the dispersants used by BP to break up the oil slick on the marine environment. “The Southern Shrimp Alliance is worried about the damages from the oil and additional impact of […]
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Testimony to Congress Denounces FDA Reliance on Self-Policing Instead of Testing
Tarpon Springs, FL—John Williams, a member of the U.S. shrimp industry for 37 years and executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance (SSA), testified today before the House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations of the Commerce and Energy Committee that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) relies too heavily on U.S. importers to protect the U.S. food supply. Williams […]