RFK Jr. Launches ‘Made in the USA’ Label for Seafood
Health and Human Services Secretary RFK Jr. unveils new seafood label and website to support American fishermen.
2 min read
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a new initiative to support U.S. fishermen and protect American consumers from questionable seafood imports. The plan includes a voluntary label for U.S.-caught fish, designed to differentiate it from seafood sourced from countries with lax safety and quality controls.
Rally and Initiative Launch
The announcement was made at a rally in Fort Meyers, Florida, alongside former President Donald Trump. Kennedy emphasized the need for a label to help consumers identify American-caught seafood, which he claims is often outcompeted by imports from countries like Vietnam and Cambodia, where shrimp farms are associated with pollution and antibiotic use.
“No European country will take them, so they ship them all over here,” Kennedy said, highlighting the challenges faced by U.S. fishermen in a global market flooded with imports. He praised Trump’s efforts to rebuild infrastructure and reopen markets for American fishermen.
Supporting the Fishing Industry
Kennedy also revealed the launch of a new government website, seafood.gov, which tracks catches, sales, and infrastructure, and outlines strategies to aid commercial fishermen. The site includes plans to remove unnecessary burdens, restore access to productive fishing grounds, and upgrade catch limits based on the latest scientific data.
Infrastructure measures include eliminating permitting barriers to private investment in working waterfronts, cold storage, and shoreside facilities. These steps aim to level the playing field for U.S. fishermen who face strict environmental and sustainability regulations that put them at a disadvantage globally.
Industry Response
The New England Fishermen’s Stewardship Association (NEFSA) welcomed the initiative, calling the label a “major win” for Americans. NEFSA director of advocacy Jason Joyce stated that the label gives consumers a way to identify American-caught seafood while supporting domestic industries.
The initiative comes after the president’s trade war with Canada raised concerns among some in the industry, including the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, which feared becoming “collateral damage” due to Canada’s large lobster imports from Maine.
Kennedy also noted the challenges faced by Florida fishermen, calling Fort Meyers “the greatest shrimpery in all of Florida,” while acknowledging the need to compete with “criminal enterprises abroad.”
Source: Breitbart
