 Gains Country of Origin Salmon Labeling Requirements May 11, 2002
The conference version of the Farm Bill contains provisions that will require any seafood product sold at retail in the U.S. be labeled at the time of sale with its country of origin and whether the fish is wild-caught or farm raised. The program, voluntary for two years, will become mandatory on Oct. 1, 2004. The bill passed the Senate, 64-35. The Conference Report combined language from similar amendments submitted by Sen. Murkowski and Sen. Ted Stevens. Both were designed to aid Alaska's wild salmon fisheries, whose share of the world market has declined drastically in recent years against competition from salmon farms in Norway, Chile, and Canada. "While the overall farm bill is far more expensive than I would like, I voted for it simply because the labeling provisions are vital to helping our fishermen to compete. We faced extremely strong opposition from the retail food industry and from seafood importers. I'm pleased that the labeling requirements will become law, and I remain committed to helping our seafood products compete in world markets. "Now, with these changes, consumers will know what they are buying. This should help them distinguish between Alaska's wild salmon, which is clearly superior, and the farmed products now flooding the markets. I believe it will also help Alaska further its efforts to promote healthy, wild seafood over farm- raised fish. Alaska can carve a profitable market niche in the future for its seafood products," said Murkowski. In addition to seafood products, the country of origin provision applies to meats and perishable agricultural commodities. Final legislation also retained a provision offered by Sen. Stevens that requires the Secretary of Agriculture to issue a report to Congress on efforts to expand the promotion, marketing, and purchase of U.S. pouched and canned salmon within the food and nutrition programs of the Agriculture Department.
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