Saving Seafood

USDA Supports U.S. Seafood Industry Impacted by Retaliatory Tariffs

September 9, 2020 — The following was released by the United States Department of Agriculture:

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will provide approximately $530 million to support the U.S. seafood industry and fishermen impacted by retaliatory tariffs from foreign governments. The funding will be provided through the Seafood Trade Relief Program and funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC), administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).

“Many nations have not played by the rules for a long time, and President Trump is the first President to stand up to them and send a clear message that the United States will no longer tolerate unfair trade practices,” said Secretary Perdue. “The Seafood Trade Relief Program ensures fishermen and other U.S. producers will not stand alone in facing unjustified retaliatory tariffs while President Trump continues working to solidify better and stronger trade deals around the globe.”

Background:

The Seafood Trade Relief Program funding will support the following seafood types:

  • Atka mackerel
  • Crab, Dungeness, King, Snow, Southern Tanner
  • Flounder
  • Geoduck
  • Goosefish
  • Herrings
  • Lobster
  • Pacific Cod
  • Pacific Ocean Perch
  • Pollock
  • Sablefish
  • Salmon
  • Sole
  • Squid
  • Tuna
  • Turbot

Fishermen can sign-up for relief through the program from September 14, 2020 to December 14, 2020. Fishermen should apply through their local USDA Service Center. To find your local Service Center, visit www.farmers.gov/service-center-locator. The application can be found at www.farmers.gov/seafood.

All USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with FSA, Natural Resources Conservation Service or any other Service Center agency should call ahead and schedule an appointment. Service Centers that are open for appointments will pre-screen visitors based on health concerns or recent travel, and visitors must adhere to social distancing guidelines. Visitors are also required to wear a face covering during their appointment. Our program delivery staff will be in the office, and they will be working with our producers in the office, by phone and using online tools. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

USDA UPDATES ON SEAFOOD TRADE RELIEF PROGRAM

September 9, 2020 — The following was released by the United States Department of Agriculture:

If you are a U.S. fisherman impacted by retaliatory tariffs, you may qualify for funding through the Seafood Trade Relief Program (STRP).

Sign-up for the Program

Sign-up for relief through the program from September 14, 2020 through December 14, 2020 by submitting an application through your local USDA Service Center.

The application form will be available here starting September 14, 2020

Service Center Status

All USDA Service Centers are open for business, including some that are open to visitors to conduct business in person by appointment only. More information can be found at farmers.gov/coronavirus/service-center-status.

About the Seafood Trade Relief Program

STRP is part of a relief strategy to support fishermen and other producers while the administration continues to work on free, fair and reciprocal trade deals to open more markets to help American farmers compete globally. The STRP prohibits a person or legal entity from receiving more than $250,000 from the program. In addition, an applicant’s average adjusted gross income (AGI) cannot exceed $900,000 unless at least 75 percent of the AGI of the person or entity comes from farming, ranching, forestry, seafood harvesting, or related activities.

Seafood commodities covered through STRP include:

  • Atka mackerel
  • Crab (Dungeness, King, Snow, Southern Tanner)
  • Flounder
  • Geoduck
  • Goosefish
  • Herrings
  • Lobster
  • Pacific Cod
  • Pacific Ocean Perch
  • Pollock
  • Sablefish
  • Salmon
  • Sole
  • Squid
  • Tuna
  • Turbot

Additional Resources

Read the full release here

USDA commits to trade aid for lobster industry using coronavirus coffers

August 27, 2020 — The Trump administration is committed to starting an aid program to help the struggling lobster industry, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue said Wednesday, but the funds to do so will come from the coronavirus stimulus package, not the aid used to bail out farmers after President Trump’s trade war with China.

The lobster industry, like many others during the coronavirus outbreak, has seen losses as markets on cruise ships and restaurants evaporate. But the industry’s real trouble began in 2018 when China retaliated against U.S. trade policies with tariffs that rose as high as 35 percent.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) missed the Aug. 24 deadline set out in an order from Trump that directs the agency to establish an aid program similar to the nearly $30 billion bailout established for farmers last year.

Instead, Perdue said lobstermen and women will soon be able to apply for aid through the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), a $19 billion program established for farmers in April in response to COVID-19.

“We are working on and the president is aware we are working on our big CFAP 2 program of which lobster would be included as directed by the memorandum so we’ll be releasing those details shortly,” Perdue said in response to a question from The Hill.

Read the full story at The Hill

USDA expands COVID-19 payments to farmed fish species

August 14, 2020 — The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding financial assistance due to COVID-19 hardships to producers of several varieties of farmed fish.

After receiving public comments and data, the agency expanded its Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP), and is extending the deadline to apply for the program to 11 September.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

Florida Delegation Want Commercial Fisherman Across State Included in USDA’s Lobster Relief Program

July 27, 2020 — This week, the Florida congressional delegation, led by U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., urged U.S. Agriculture Sec. Sonny Perdue to include Florida’s commercial fishermen in the lobster relief program announced by President Donald Trump on June 24.

The program addresses harm to the United States lobster industry caused by steep tariffs imposed by the Chinese government.

Besides Rubio, other signers of the letter included U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., and U.S. Reps. Dan Webster, R-Fla., Stephanie Murphy, D-Fla., Donna Shalala, D-Fla., Brian Mast, R-Fla., Francis Rooney, R-Fla., Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla., Neal Dunn, R-Fla., Alcee Hastings, D-Fla., Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, D-Fla., Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., Bill Posey, R-Fla., Darren Soto, D-Fla., Ross Spano, R-Fla., and Al Lawson, D-Fla.

Read the full story at Florida Daily

Rubio Leads Colleagues in Urging Secretary Perdue to Include Florida Fishermen in Administration’s Lobster Relief Program

July 23, 2020 — The following was released by The Office of Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL):

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) led members of the Florida congressional delegation in urging U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to include Florida’s commercial fishermen in the lobster relief program announced by President Trump on June 24, 2020. The program addresses harm to the United States lobster industry caused by steep tariffs imposed by the Chinese government. More information can be found here.

“This belligerent economic behavior by the Chinese government has the potential to significantly reduce the market share of Florida’s spiny lobster in the Asian marketplace, and could have a ripple affect across our state’s economy,” the lawmakers wrote. “We are concerned about the long-term future of Florida’s spiny lobster fishery and the ability of our fishermen to earn a living.”

Rubio was joined by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and Representatives Stephanie Murphy (D-FL), Donna Shalala (D-FL), Brian Mast (R-FL), Daniel Webster (R-FL), Francis Rooney (R-FL), Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL), Neal Dunn (R-FL), Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-FL), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Bill Posey (R-FL), Darren Soto (D-FL), Ross Spano (R-FL), and Al Lawson, Jr. (D-FL).

The full text of the letter is below.

Dear Secretary Perdue:

We write to request the inclusion of Florida commercial fishermen in the lobster relief program announced by President Trump on June 24, 2020, in response to the difficulties facing the United States lobster industry due to tariff action by the Chinese government.

Florida’s vibrant lobster fishery has suffered harm by the tariffs imposed by the Chinese government. Spiny lobster is the state’s second largest commercial fishery with an average annual catch of seven million pounds and a total value of more than $45 million. Spiny lobster is renowned for its quality and freshness and is immensely popular in China during holidays and other special events. An estimated 80 percent of all spiny lobster harvested in Florida is exported to China and other Asian ports as a live product. Tariffs placed on spiny lobster by the Chinese government have greatly increased the price of Florida’s spiny lobster exports. Meanwhile, the Chinese government is reducing or eliminating tariffs on competing products from other countries and have begun importing greater numbers of spiny lobster from Australia, Brazil, and the Caribbean.

This belligerent economic behavior by the Chinese government has the potential to significantly reduce the market share of Florida’s spiny lobster in the Asian marketplace, and could have a ripple affect across our state’s economy. We are concerned about the long-term future of Florida’s spiny lobster fishery and the ability of our fishermen to earn a living.

Florida’s fishermen have been harmed by the tariffs imposed on lobster from the United States. As such, we respectfully request their inclusion in the relief program.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

NFI’s Robert DeHaan takes a seat on the US Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee

July 21, 2020 — National Fisheries Institute (NFI) Vice President for Government Affairs Robert DeHaan has been appointed to the U.S. Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee.

DeHaan’s appointment was announced by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer on 17 July. As a part of the committee, DeHaan will provide advice to the government on trade policy matters such as the operation of existing trade agreements and the negotiation of news ones, NFI said in a press release.

Read the full story at Seafood Source

MASSACHUSETTS: Markey touts $15 million he steered to New Bedford’s North Terminal

July 20, 2020 — Senator Ed Markey brought his senatorial campaign to New Bedford Friday afternoon, touting his efforts to secure waterfront infrastructure and fisheries disaster assistance funding for the city.

Markey made the stop in the Whaling City as part of the launch of his statewide bus tour, the “Leads and Delivers Tour,” designed to spotlight the accomplishments the senator says he has made for the state on Capitol Hill. The focus of the stop at City Pier 3 was highlighting the $15.4 million in Department of Transportation funding to improve the New Bedford port’s infrastructure and the $28 million in fisheries disaster assistance from the CARES Act that Markey says he advocated for.

“In the last few months, COVID-19 has transformed our cities and towns across Massachusetts as many of our small businesses have been forced to close or turn to online sales. Usually bustling Main Streets are quiet as our residents choose to safely practice social distancing. Beaches and parks have emptied, and many cities and towns are unrecognizable,” said Markey, who described how the economic impact of COVID-19 has squeezed New Bedford’s fishing industry.

“With restaurants shut down, the fishing community has lost a major consumer. Despite this lack of income, these fishermen must still put food on the table at the end of the day, find a way to cover their boat costs and search for ways to make ends meet,” he said “These brave men and women need to feel like their government has their back, and that’s why I fought so hard in the CARES Act to include a historic $20 million U.S. Department of Agriculture procurement of Atlantic Seafood.”

Read the full story at the New Bedford Standard-Times

Virginia, Maryland, Massachusetts senators push Trump for aid for their states’ seafood industries

July 6, 2020 — Four U.S. senators representing the Chesapeake Bay region wrote a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue on Wednesday, 1 July, urging him to invest COVID-19 funding to the area’s shellfish farmers whose businesses have been greatly affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

The letter, written by Virginia’s U.S. Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine and Maryland’s U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin, all Democrats, asks Perdue to use some of the USD 16 billion (EUR 14.2 billion) appropriated through the CARES Act to purchase oysters and clams from Chesapeake-based aquaculture businesses.

Read the full story at Seafood Source