August 27, 2007

US seafood industry call for series of measures to improve inspections

US food importers are calling for a series of measures to improve the current system of seafood inspections, including risk-based targeted inspections for imports so as to save those with strong safety records from prolonged inspections.

Industry groups are submitting proposals to the Administration's new Interagency Working Group on Import Safety, which would issue a preliminary report by mid-September and final action recommendations by mid-November.

The coalition includes the Grocery Manufacturers Association, the US Chamber of Commerce, and the US-China Business Council who have been considering whether to file proposals as a coalition or separately.

Although US grocery importers would like increased inspections by FDA, they shun the idea of funding such programmes through user fees, seeing them more as a tax.

Since the benefits of the inspection are distributed broadly, importers should not be made to pay for the programme, but should be paid by all, the industry argued.

Importers hoped an adequately-funded FDA and other government agencies would be able to work with foreign supplier countries to ensure safety. Another proposal floated is to give US food importers more responsibility on the safety of the supply chain through mandatory supplier assurance programmes from the FDA, with non-binding guidance that companies would implement on their own.

The industry said it too must become more involved in solving food safety issues and not rely on inspections alone.

The seafood industry also added that import bans should not be country-based but company-based, meaning bans should be imposed on the offending company and not the entire country.

Companies exporting to the US should also be certified to have knowledge of US food safety laws before being allowed to export. They should also have enough funds to recall food products in the US if required, the proposals suggested.