Farmed trout salmon from Chile in the cooler at a Mitsuwa store in San Jose, California, United States.
Photo: Adobe Stock.
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, a Republican from Mississippi, introduced the Let Americans Buy with Explicit Labeling (LABEL) Act this week, whose purpose, according to the senator's public statement, is "to ensure all seafood, whether wild-caught or farm raised, is clearly labeled with its country of origin and method of production."
According to Hyde-Smith's proposal, some imported seafood labels are currently printed in such small print that they go unnoticed, putting U.S. producers at a disadvantage compared to imported alternatives.
The Senator's statement also highlighted that the LABEL Act aims to increase transparency for consumers and support the U.S. fishing industry, bringing consumers across the country the standard that is already being applied in Mississippi and Alabama, which have already passed similar legislation requiring clear labeling of all seafood sold in their states.
U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith.
Photo: Office of U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith.
"Mississippi's seafood industry is already battling a flood of cheap imports, much of which don't meet the same safety standards our domestic producers uphold," Senator Hyde-Smith said. "This bill would ensure American consumers know exactly where their seafood comes from, while giving our domestic fishermen and producers a fair chance to compete," she added.
Hyde-Smith's Let Americans Buy with Explicit Labeling Act was supported by U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, a Republican from Alabama, who joined her in introducing the measure.
"American producers have been undercut by foreign producers dumping their low-quality seafood into our markets," said Senator Tuberville. "There's no better source for fish and seafood than Alabama ponds and the Gulf of America, and we want people to know where their food is coming from," he continued.
"I'm proud to join Senator Hyde-Smith in this legislation that bolsters American seafood production, promotes safe seafood consumption, and protects our domestic producers," Senator Tuberville concluded.
Introduced during National Seafood Month, the LABEL Act also has the support of the American Shrimp Processors Association (ASPA), Louisiana Shrimp Association, Southern Shrimp Alliance, and Organized Seafood Association of Alabama.
Specifically, the LABEL Act would require that information about the country of origin and production method appear prominently on packaging or display materials, and that it do so in a font size at least as large as that of the product name, so that consumers can easily see and understand it when making their purchase decisions.
The proposal also states that, if approved, it would take effect 180 days after its adoption, giving processors, distributors, and retailers time to update their packaging.
The LABEL Act, now introduced, builds on the Safer Shrimp Imports Act that Hyde-Smith introduced in February, which would require foreign shrimp to undergo inspections and comply with U.S. food safety standards before being exported to the United States.
Two months later, in April, President Trump signed the executive order 'Restoring American Seafood Competitiveness', which supports the elimination of excessive regulation and also what it considers unfair trade practices by foreign nations.
