Sen. Cochran pushes for inspection of imported catfish
U.S. Sen. Thad Cochran has reiterated a request to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to make progress on the inspection of imported catfish, an important farm product in Mississippi.
The Mississippi Republican addressed the issue Thursday at a Senate Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee hearing on the fiscal 2013 budget request for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, emphasizing the importance to U.S. food safety and the economy of implementing a program to more thoroughly inspect imported catfish.
Cochran has been pushing the USDA for nearly three years to make progress on the inspection process. Regulations for the Food Safety and Inspection Service program were supposed to be released 18 months after enactment of the 2008 Farm Bill.
Clarion Ledger
3/30/12
