A little-known provision in the bill sponsored by Rep. Dan Benishek (R-MI) that was added to the farm bill last month would require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to conduct a “scientific and economic analysis” of FSMA regulations before they can move forward, a requirement that could further delay regulations that are severely behind the deadlines set by Congress.
Benishek, who has tree fruit farmers in his Northern Michigan district, says he wants to make sure FDA is getting the rules right so it doesn’t hinder farmers. Apple, cherry, and other tree fruit growers have been among the most outspoken critics of proposed FSMA regulations for produce safety. The groups are particularly upset about new water testing requirements they view as onerous and unnecessary.
Sandra Eskin, director of the food safety campaign at the Pew Charitable Trusts, thinks Benishek’s amendment could “significantly delay” the rules FDA is working on.
“What this provision does is totally undermine the process we have for regulations in this country,” said Eskin, noting that FDA has published regulatory impact reports that include analysis on the costs and benefits of each proposed rule.
The bill specifically says FDA may not enforce any of the FSMA regulations until the analyses are published to the federal register, but some in the produce industry think that the requirement might not stall the rules if it becomes law because FDA is already focusing on the science and considering the economic impact.
Consumer advocates are hoping that Sens. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), and others who were champions for the sweeping food safety law, will ensure the measure is stripped when the House and Senate reconcile their respective versions in conference.
Sen. Harkin took to Twitter Thursday afternoon and said the House had passed “a farm bill that nobody wants,” adding that it “would undermine critical food safety law” while foodborne illness continues to impact 1 in 6 Americans annually.
The farm program-only farm bill cleared the House 216 to 208 with no support from Democrats. House Majority Leader Eric Cantor said leadership is in discussions about bringing the nutrition title, which deals with the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, to the floor “sometime in the near feature,” but the path forward for SNAP is not clear. The House version seeks $20 billion in cuts to nutrition assistance over the next 10 years — significantly more than the Senate’s $4 billion scale-back.
Senate Agriculture chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) said the House’s first phase of the farm bill is “not a real Farm Bill and is an insult to rural America.” She pointed out that splitting the bill in two was “strongly opposed by more than 500 farm, food and conservation groups.”
“We will go to conference with the bipartisan, comprehensive Farm Bill that was passed in the Senate,” said Stabenow.
Frank Lucas (R-OK), chairman of the House Agriculture Committee — who had made it clear he thought splitting the bill was a bad idea — said the vote was “an important step toward enacting a five-year farm bill this year that gives our farmers and ranchers certainty.” Lucas said he would be continuing conversations with lawmakers in both chambers to find a path “that ultimately gets a farm bill to the President’s desk in the coming month.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Tilapia is easy to farm and provides high economic and nutritional value, making it a sought-after export commodity in many countries.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s seafood exports in the first 10 months of 2025 recorded significant progress, reaching more than USD 9.5 billion, up 15% year-on-year. This result reflects the sector’s persistent efforts amid a highly volatile market, especially policy shocks from the US Although signs of slowdown emerged in the third quarter due to countervailing taxes, key product groups still maintained strong momentum and created a foundation for full-year exports to reach USD 11 billion.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s agreement with the United States on a framework for reciprocal, fair, and balanced trade—reached during the 2025 ASEAN Summit in Malaysia—has generated strong optimism for Vietnamese exports, including tuna. Numerous positive points in the joint statement have raised high expectations for Vietnamese export goods, but turning these expectations into tangible benefits remains a long and challenging journey.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) At the conference on “Linking the Production and Consumption Chain of Ca Mau Crab 2025,” Vice Chairman of the Ca Mau Provincial People’s Committee Lê Văn Sử posed a central question: how to shift the province’s crab exports toward official trade channels, instead of relying heavily on small-scale border trade with China as currently practiced.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The whitefish market in Japan is showing a clear divergence among supplying countries, in which Vietnam continues to affirm its role as a stable and high-potential exporter. Vietnam currently ranks third after the US and Russia in whitefish export value to Japan. Thanks to tariff incentives and the ability to meet Japan’s strict standards, Vietnamese pangasius continues to record a stable and positive growth trend.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) The People's Committee of Ca Mau Province has just issued a plan to expand the super-intensive, low-water-exchange, biosecure white-leg shrimp farming model (RAS-IMTA) for whiteleg shrimp farming to a scale of 1,500 hectares, aiming to develop high-tech, sustainable and environmentally friendly shrimp farming.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Sa Giang Import-Export Joint Stock Company (HNX: SGC) plans to issue over 7.1 million shares to raise nearly 465 Billion VND for Hoan Ngoc M&A Deal.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) According to Rabobank, global tilapia production is forecast to exceed 7 million tons in 2025, driven by a strong recovery in major producing countries including China, Indonesia, Egypt, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Among them, Vietnam is emerging as a potential tilapia supplier in the global supply chain, capitalizing on market fluctuations to expand production and exports.
By the end of Q3/2025, Vietnam’s seafood industry recorded a clear recovery as a series of leading companies reported strong profits — some even achieving the highest results in their history. After several quarters struggling with high costs and weakened demand, the latest business results indicate a robust comeback across the industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On November 12 in Ho Chi Minh City, the Embassy of the Netherlands, in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, organized the Vietnam–Netherlands Business Forum under the theme “Shaping the future of sustainable aquaculture in the Mekong Delta.”
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