WLOX-TV Biloxi
Mississippi senator pushes national seafood labeling bill
By WLOX Staff
BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith is pushing for a national seafood labeling bill.
The Republican senator from Mississippi, along with U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, introduced the Let Americans Buy with Explicit Labeling (LABEL) Act.
Hyde-Smith said the legislation would make sure all seafood, whether wild-caught or farm-raised, is labeled with its country of origin and method of production.
“Mississippi’s seafood industry is already battling a flood of cheap imports, much of which don’t meet the same safety standards our domestic producers uphold,” Hyde-Smith said.
“This bill would ensure American consumers know exactly where their seafood comes from, while giving our domestic fishermen and producers a fair chance to compete.”
The LABEL Act would also require the label to be printed in a font size at least as large as the product name on packaging, displays, or bins. Supporters argue that this would stop producers from printing the label so small that consumers could easily miss it.
“We want people to know where their food is coming from,” Tuberville said.
If enacted, the LABEL Act would go into effect 180 days later.
Mississippi and Alabama have already passed similar legislation requiring clear labeling of all seafood sold in their states. Supporters said the LABEL Act would bring that same standard to consumers nationwide.