Mississippi senators urge USDA to protect catfish from viruses

WJTV-TV Jackson

Mississippi senators urge USDA to protect catfish from viruses

By Sethanie Smith

WASHINGTON (WJTV) - U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) 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 both 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 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."

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.

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.