“Another bizarre handout in this Farm Bill is the creation of a Catfish Office inside the U.S. Department of Agriculture. At a cost of $15 million a year, USDA will hire inspectors to visually inspect catfish in seafood facilities – and only catfish.
“Senator Shaheen and I (and 11 other Senators) have sponsored legislation to kill this catfish program. In 2012, our legislation was adopted in the Senate by voice vote. Last year, the House Agriculture Committee passed a bi-partisan amendment to repeal it in the Farm Bill. Despite all of this opposition, the unpopular Catfish Office resiliently survived conference!
“Americans do not need a new USDA catfish inspection program. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) already tests catfish along with all other seafood. But certain Farm Bill conferees are insisting on creating a Catfish Office because catfish farmers in southern states don’t want to compete against foreign catfish importers. Its true purpose is trade protectionism at the taxpayer’s expense. Under this Farm Bill, there will be a virtual ban on catfish imports for several years while foreign inspectors switch from FDA’s inspection procedures to USDA’s catfish procedures.
“The GAO investigated the proposed Catfish Office and in four different reports called it ‘duplicative and wasteful’ and warned that it ‘fragments our food safety system’ by spitting FDA’s responsibility to inspect seafood. In fact, one GAO report simply titled, ‘Responsibility for Inspecting Catfish Should Not Be Assigned to USDA’ called on Congress to eliminate the Catfish Office. Both USDA and FDA have questioned the scientific value of the proposed Catfish. Several years ago, USDA studied the idea and concluded, ‘There is substantial uncertainty regarding the actual effectiveness of a [USDA] catfish inspection program.’ Even the President’s Budget proposed to zero it out.
“American consumers should also be concerned about the trade implications of this program. Some nations, including Vietnam, have threatened WTO retaliation against American agriculture exports, like beef and soybeans. Trade experts warn that this catfish gimmick is the kind of protectionism that harms our efforts to win concessions under trade agreement negotiations like the Trans Pacific Partnership, which could reduce tariffs on American products sold to Asian trading partners.
“Again, Senator Shaheen and I tried to eliminate the Catfish Office in the Senate’s Farm Bill, but the managers blocked a vote on our amendment. The House Agriculture Committee did the right thing and passed a Farm Bill amendment to eliminate it. Unfortunately when this bill went to conference, several Senate conferees blocked a vote in conference to repeal it and actually rewrote the law to fortify it.
“Mr. President, it seems that catfish is one bottom feeder with friends in high places.
“Mr. President, at the end of the day, this Farm Bill will be hailed by its supporters as reform-minded. Let me assure the American public that it is hardly reform. It was managed under a closed-amendment process and will prove to be more wasteful and costly than any Farm Bill we’ve seen to date. For these reasons, I urge my colleagues to join me in opposing this bill.”
On July 22, 2026, the Government issued Decree No. 292/2026/ND-CP detailing certain articles and providing measures for the organization and implementation of the Law on Foreign Trade Management. The Decree takes effect on September 5, 2026, replacing Decree No. 69/2018/ND-CP.
(vasep.com.vn) Vietnamese pangasius producer Vinh Hoan has won the top prize at the 2026 Seafood Excellence Asia Awards for its Cured Panga Croquette, highlighting the growing potential of value-added pangasius products in international markets.
(vasep.com.vn) The Global Shrimp Forum (GSF) 2026 is taking place from September 1–3 in Utrecht, the Netherlands, bringing together around 585 delegates from 40 countries, representing approximately 300 companies and organizations across the shrimp supply chain. Representatives from VASEP are attending the event as part of the Vietnamese delegation, strengthening connections with partners across the global shrimp industry.
(vasep.com.vn) At the international B2B seminar (Hosted Buyer Program) held as part of Vietfish 2026, Mr. Nguyen Hoang Pham, Sales Director of Tai Kim Anh Seafood Processing Joint Stock Company, delivered a presentation entitled “Vietnam’s Shrimp Industry: Changing for Sustainability.” From the perspective of a seafood processor, the presentation highlighted that Vietnam’s shrimp industry continues to play a leading role in seafood exports, but is entering a new phase of competition in which change is no longer an option, but a prerequisite for growth.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) VIETFISH 2026 may have concluded after three dynamic days in Ho Chi Minh City, but conversations around the exhibition continue to resonate across international trade media, industry organizations, and the social media channels of participating companies.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Vietnam’s tilapia industry is maintaining strong growth momentum, with significant room for further expansion in the coming years. In 2025, total tilapia production reached approximately 420,000 tonnes, up 33% from 2024 and 2.2 times higher than in 2015. During 2015–2025, production grew at an average annual rate of around 8.4%. As production and exports continue to expand, food safety control is receiving increasing attention to ensure product quality, meet the increasingly stringent requirements of international markets, and provide a foundation for the sustainable development of Vietnam’s tilapia industry.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) On the afternoon of August 19, 2026, as part of the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026, the Hosted Buyer Program continued with the seminar “Vietnam Seafood Outlook 2026–2027: A Strategic Sourcing Destination,” followed by 1-to-1 B2B meetings between international buyers and Vietnamese seafood businesses.
(seafood.vasep.com.vn) Speaking at the Opening Ceremony of VIETFISH 2026 on August 19 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), U.S. Consul General Melissa Brown highlighted the important role of the exhibition in connecting Vietnam’s growing seafood industry with buyers, suppliers, and partners from the United States and around the world.
(vasep.com.vn) Tomorrow, August 19, 2026, the Vietnam International Seafood Exhibition – Vietfish 2026 will officially open at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. Taking place over three days, from August 19–21, Vietfish 2026 promises to provide a dynamic platform for business networking, trend updates, product experiences and comprehensive cooperation across the domestic and international seafood community.
(vasep.com.vn) The global tilapia market continues to grow, creating significant opportunities for countries with strengths in aquaculture, processing, and exports. Against this backdrop, Vietnam’s tilapia industry is gradually developing toward higher quality, greater product diversification, and broader market reach. At Vietfish 2026, the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), together with the VASEP Tilapia Producers and Exporters Club, will host a joint booth to promote the image and potential of Vietnamese tilapia to domestic and international buyers.
VASEP - HIỆP HỘI CHẾ BIẾN VÀ XUẤT KHẨU THỦY SẢN VIỆT NAM
Chịu trách nhiệm: Ông Nguyễn Hoài Nam - Phó Tổng thư ký Hiệp hội
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Trưởng Ban Biên tập: Bà Phùng Thị Kim Thu
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