WICKER, HYDE-SMITH SEEK USDA ACTION TO PROTECT U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH FROM HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VIRUSES

WICKER, HYDE-SMITH SEEK USDA ACTION TO PROTECT U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH FROM HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VIRUSES

WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) recently urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture to take action to mitigate the threat posed by two viruses to farm-raised catfish production in Mississippi and other states.

Wicker and Hyde-Smith joined U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) in sending a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins that recommends prompt action by the USDA to assess and mitigate the highly contagious Yellow Catfish Virus (YcCV) and Channel Catfish Virus (CCV) before they can be transmitted to U.S. aquaculture operations.

"The domestic catfish industry is a critical component of the broader agriculture economy in the Southeast, supporting rural economies, providing jobs, and contributing to national food security. An outbreak of a highly pathogenic virus such as YcCV or CCV could have devastating economic and ecological consequences," the Senators wrote.

"We therefore respectfully request that APHIS prioritize a formal risk assessment of YcCV and CCV, including evaluation of potential pathways for entry, establishment, and spread within the United States. The mounting evidence surrounding YcCV and CCV underscores the need to ensure that emerging aquatic animal diseases receive appropriate attention and resources commensurate with their risk," they continued.

The lawmakers recommended that the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) "place the burden of proof on exporting countries" by requiring them to demonstrate that their products are free of YcCV and CCV prior to export to the United States. They also want APHIS to work with international counterparts to institute effective surveillance, biosecurity, and certification measures to prevent the export of infected products.

YcCV, an emerging, highly contagious virus first identified in Chinese aquaculture operations in 2020, can remain viable during freezing and thawing, suggesting potential pathways for introduction into the United States. It has been shown to have mortality rates approaching 90 percent in infected populations.

The Senators wrote that CVC, a highly pathogenic virus already known to be in the United States, underscores the importance of preventing additional viral threats, such as YcCV, that could put fish health, production, and economic wellbeing in peril.

"Countries exporting catfish and related species to the United States should demonstrate all necessary steps to detect, control, and eliminate the presence of YcCV and CCV in their aquaculture systems and processing chains," the Senators wrote.

Mississippi leads the nation in farm-raised catfish production. Its 129 catfish operations covering more than 28,000 acres produced more than 65 percent of the nation's farm-raised catfish. Its production value amounted to $196 million in 2025.

In addition to Wicker, Hyde-Smith, and Britt, U.S. Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) also signed the letter to Rollins. The Senators' effort is supported by the Catfish Farmers of America.

Find the Senators' letter to Rollins and Dudley Hoskins, USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, here.

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