“Louisiana is one of the top catfish producing states in the country, and our farmers deserve a level playing field in the seafood market. I am glad to see the Biden administration walk back its plan to give foreign products the upper hand over American catfish.”
Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) joined Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) and colleagues in claiming victory for U.S. catfish producers after the Biden administration’s Commerce Department reversed its plan to make it easier for the Socialist Republic of Vietnam to flood U.S. catfish markets.
“Louisiana is one of the top catfish producing states in the country, and our farmers deserve a level playing field in the seafood market. I am glad to see the Biden administration walk back its plan to give foreign products the upper hand over American catfish,” said Kennedy.
On March 14, the administration published a notice in the Federal Register that it would not follow through with its preliminary decision to reduce the antidumping duties from $2.39/kg to $0.14/kg for all producers that the Socialist Republic of Vietnam controls.
“The Commerce Department actually heeded our warnings and the rescission of this review is a clear victory for the U.S. catfish industry, which is so important to Mississippi and other rural states. It’s also a victory for American consumers, who will not be put at risk from tainted imported catfish,” said Hyde-Smith.
On Jan. 17, the senators urged the Biden administration’s Commerce Department to reverse its preliminary decision. Sens. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Katie Britt (R-Ala.) also signed the letter.