Stakeholders are being invited to provide information to assist in the development of voluntary U.S. Standards for Grades of Catfish and Catfish Products.
The 2014 Farm Bill (The Agricultural Act of 2014) directed the Secretary of Agriculture to establish a voluntary, fee-based grading program for catfish. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) will use feedback from this Notice to develop a standard and a voluntary grading program for catfish.
The agency is particularly interested in research, industry data, and background information from catfish producers, suppliers, processors, retailers, and foodservice operators, as well as comments related to the catfish quality standard that is currently implemented by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). There will be additional time for stakeholder feedback before implementing a grading program.
The USDA grade shields assure consumers that products have gone through a rigorous review process by highly-skilled graders that follow the official grade standards.
The Notice was published in the 14 July 14 2016, Federal Register. Comments, information, and data relating to this notice are due no later than 12 September 2016. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments, information, and data by using the electronic process available at www.regulations.gov or by email: catfishgrading@ams.usda.gov.
