The US Office of Management and Budgeton February 16 decided to extend its review of rules on catfish foodsafety inspection proposed by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Officials from the US Departments of State and Commerce and severalmembers of Congress have criticised the proposal, saying catfishimports are being unfairly targeted, particularly Tra and Basa fromVietnam .
Earlier, many parliamentarians have called on USDA Secretary TomVilsack not to include Tra and Basa into his proposal. They said ifPangasius fish from Vietnam are included into the catfish list, theywould be subject to a stricter safety inspection regime under the 2008farm bill, which is unaffordable to Vietnam due to high costs of moneyand time.
Members of US Congress made it clear that they did not intend toinclude Tra and Basa fish from Vietnam into the line of adjustmentunder the 2008 farm bill when voting for the law last year.
They expressed concerns that if the USDA names the two sorts of fishfrom Vietnam as catfish, it also means a ban on the importation of fishfrom Vietnam .
The action may lead to a retaliatory ban on US products, they warned./.
Officials from the US Departments of State and Commerce and severalmembers of Congress have criticised the proposal, saying catfishimports are being unfairly targeted, particularly Tra and Basa fromVietnam .
Earlier, many parliamentarians have called on USDA Secretary TomVilsack not to include Tra and Basa into his proposal. They said ifPangasius fish from Vietnam are included into the catfish list, theywould be subject to a stricter safety inspection regime under the 2008farm bill, which is unaffordable to Vietnam due to high costs of moneyand time.
Members of US Congress made it clear that they did not intend toinclude Tra and Basa fish from Vietnam into the line of adjustmentunder the 2008 farm bill when voting for the law last year.
They expressed concerns that if the USDA names the two sorts of fishfrom Vietnam as catfish, it also means a ban on the importation of fishfrom Vietnam .
The action may lead to a retaliatory ban on US products, they warned./.
