Senator John Kennedy (R-La.) voiced concerns regarding the safety and inspection of imported seafood, particularly shrimp and oysters, during a recent Senate hearing. He questioned Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins about whether domestic shrimpers and oyster harvesters are farmers and if they face competition from countries that may use antibiotics in their seafood production.
Rollins confirmed that domestic harvesters do face such competition. Kennedy then raised the issue of inspection for foreign seafood, inquiring why it is not a more significant practice. He noted that the United States imports approximately 90% of its shrimp.
Kennedy has previously brought attention to the issue of foreign seafood safety. In September, he displayed a poster on the Senate floor related to recalled shrimp imported to the U.S. that was processed by PT, an Indonesian company. This recall involved frozen raw shrimp sold under Walmart's Great Value label.
The recalled shipments were flagged after federal officials detected a sample containing cesium-137, a radioactive isotope. At the time, Kennedy warned of potential health risks associated with such contaminants. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stated that while the detected level of cesium-137 did not pose an immediate hazard, prolonged consumption could lead to potential health concerns.
In response to Kennedy's questions about seafood inspections, Rollins suggested the issue is broader than just inspections and relates to the nation's trade agenda and the volume of imports. Kennedy expressed that he was in "big trouble" regarding the situation.