Senator Charles E. Schumer

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 21, 2011

SCHUMER: ORANGE COUNTY FISH FARM, LOCAL JOBS AT RISK FROM UNINSPECTED, POTENTIALLY TAINTED FISH IMPORTED FROM CHINA – SCHUMER CALLS ON THE FDA TO BETTER INSPECT IMPORTED FISH, LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD WITH CORNER-CUTTING CHINESE COMPETITORS

Schumer Tours Veteran-Owned “Continental Organics,” A Growing & Groundbreaking Organic Fish and AquaPonics Farm With Plans To Employ 120 Workers, And Announces Push For Legislation to Increase Inspections and Improve Labeling on Imported Fish; Only 1% Inspected Now

Schumer Calls on FDA To Increase Inspections Of Fish Imported From China – Up To Half Of What Is Inspected Is Found To Be Contaminated With Dangerous Chemicals; Chinese Fish Producers Use Dangerous Carcinogenic Chemicals Already Banned in US

Schumer: Contaminated Fish From Corner- Cutting Operations in China Shouldn’t Compete Side By Side With Cleaner, American-Raised Fish

Today, U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer toured Continental Organics in New Windsor, where he announced his push to crackdown on imported fish from China that contains chemicals that have been banned in food in the United States. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only inspects about 1% of fish imported into the U.S. from China and other countries. In some tests on that small sample, up to 50% of the fish contain chemicals that are illegal for fish farming use in the United States, some of which can cause cancer and other diseases. Foreign producers pump their ponds full of chemicals to keep their fish alive, because they would not otherwise thrive in the polluted water. Following a tour of the fishery in New Windsor that is a service-disabled veteran-owned business with plans to employ 120 New Yorkers, Schumer announced his push to get the FDA to expand their inspection of imported fish, and to have the federal government pressure other countries seeking to export fish to the U.S. to adopt more stringent standards for the use of chemicals in the fish hatchery process that could be harmful to consumers. Schumer also announced his support for legislation that would increase and improve imported seafood inspections, as well as the accuracy of labeling on imported fish.

“It has become abundantly clear that fish and seafood from China can stink, and it’s time the Food and Drug Administration stepped up their efforts to protect the public health,” Schumer said. “Once again, China’s blatant disregard for basic safety standards has put Americans’ health at risk, all while contaminated fish from China are directly competing with American-raised fish from fisheries that play by the rules, just like Continental Organics. That is why I’m urging the FDA to immediately step up inspections of imported fish to increase safety and to take steps to make fish origin labels more accurate so consumers know where their food is coming from.”

Schumer is pushing the Food and Drug Administration to improve the inspection of imported fish from China and other countries, and to improve the accuracy of labeling imported fish. The Food and Drug Administration oversees the safety of seafood imports, and operates a mandatory safety program for all fish and fishery products. However, limited inspection programs contribute to the FDA physically inspecting about 1% of imported seafood shipments. Of that small sample that is inspected, up to 50% of the samples contain chemicals that are illegal for fish farmed in the U.S., only highlighting the prevalence of this issue. Potentially harmful chemicals including Malachite green, Choloramphenicol, Nitrofurans, all of which are banned from food in the U.S., have been found in imported seafood according to the Today Show. Schumer points out that these fish imports are directly competing with fisheries like Continental Organics in New Windsor, that adhere to the United States’ strict food safety standards.

“I want to applaud Senator Schumer for taking the lead on this important issue,” said Continental Organics President Mike Finnegan. “The US imports over 80% of its seafood but less than 1% of it is inspected by the FDA at our borders. Spot inspections by State inspectors like Alabama have revealed contamination in as much as 40% of the imported fish. This is a potential public health crisis. Because they are not held to the same standards, China and the ASEAN nations, in particular, are able to undercut the US producers on price. Thus, FDA's failure to inspect is also an economic competitiveness issue.”

Continental Organics is a service-disabled and veteran-owned business, which produces organic and locally grown fish and produce in Orange County. Once fully up and running, Continental Organics plans to employ 120 full-time workers, 50% of whom will be veterans or disabled veterans. Once this growing business’s expansion is complete, the farm will operate a large scale aquaponics facility, and will primarily produce tilapia, which will be growth-hormone, antibiotic, and GMO free. Schumer noted that this high-quality, fresh tilapia draws a stark contrast with the chemical-ridden tilapia and other fish being imported from China.

Continental Organics is leading the way in aquaponics, a sustainable method of agriculture that is becoming popular because it can be practiced intensively in densely populated areas or in regions of the world with poor soil and little freshwater. Aquaponics is sustainable, highly productive, and utilizes 90% less water than traditional agriculture. This method combines the farming of an aquatic organism, such as fish, mollusks, or shrimp, with the hydroponic technique of growing plant crops without soil. These two forms of agriculture are merged in a closed loop system through the re-use and recycling of nutrients and water. Naturally occurring bacteria and biological processes create a third component, the biofilter, which converts the fish waste into nutrient rich fertilizer for the plants. This is a fast-growing method of fish and food production, and Schumer notes that its ability to produce high yields with a relatively low input will allow Continental Organics to continue to grow and flourish in the Hudson Valley.

China is the biggest producer and exporter of seafood in the world, and the fastest-growing supplier to the United States. Each year, about one in four Americans experiences a food borne illness, and seafood products cause approximately 20 percent of such outbreaks in the United States. Americans are consuming more seafood than ever, and to meet this growing demand, over 80% of it is imported. As wild fish supplies wane, almost half of the seafood produced around the world comes from industrial fish farms, like those in China. These operations satisfy the surging demand for seafood by cramming together fish, which creates conditions for disease and parasites to spread. Many operators address their unsanitary conditions by using antibiotics and chemicals that can leave residues in the fish that people eat. While the FDA prohibits such antibiotics and chemicals in imported fish, only about 1% of fish entering the United States are actually inspected for such contaminants. Schumer is urging the FDA to increase the amount of inspections of such fish, as experts note that physical inspection gives the greatest assurance of detecting safety issues in seafood products.

Of the 1% of fish imports inspected by the FDA, up to 50% contain chemicals that are illegal for fish farming in the United States. Schumer pointed to some troubling examples from a 2003 to 2006 analysis of those imports prohibited from entering the U.S. For instance, seafood from China and other countries has been denied entry into the U.S. because of veterinary drug residues, including drug varieties like Malachite green, Choloramphenicol, Nitrofurans, which are toxic to humans and banned in the US. In 2006, nearly 60 percent of those imports denied entry because of veterinary drug residues in 2006 were from China.

In addition, Schumer is supporting the Commercial Seafood Consumer Protection Act, which directs the Secretary of Commerce to strengthen federal activities for ensuring that commercially distributed seafood meets federal food quality and safety requirements. The bill directs the Secretary and other appropriate federal agencies to enter into agreements to strengthen interagency cooperation on seafood safety, labeling, and fraud, including regarding examining and testing seafood imports, inspections of foreign facilities, establishing a distribution chain tracking system, data sharing, and public outreach. The Act would also increase the number of seafood testing labs, allow the U.S. to refuse seafood imports that do not meet federal requirements and provide a system for developing a list of standardized seafood names. This legislation would prevent fraud related to the mislabeling of fish to pass it off as another species or from another source.

Schumer pointed out that fisheries in New York like Continental Organics in New Windsor, do not use chemicals like antibiotics in the fish they produce. American fish farmers must comply with strict standards put forth by the FDA and produce higher quality products. Schumer is urging consumers to address the root of the issue by buying only wild-caught, or sustainably produced seafood instead of imported, industrially-farmed fish.

A copy of Senator Schumer’s letter to FDA Administrator Dr. Margaret Hamburg appears below:

The Honorable Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D.

Commissioner

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

5600 Fishers Lane

Rockville, Maryland 20857

Dear Commissioner Hamburg,

I write to express my concern about the quality and safety of imported Chinese fish that may contain high levels of toxic chemicals not approved for use on food or for human consumption. I respectfully request that the FDA increase inspections, testing and analysis of all imported seafood, especially products originating from China.

As the agency responsible for overseeing the safety of seafood imports, and operating a mandatory safety program for all fish and fishery products, it is imperative that you step up inspections of foreign seafood imports. Right now, only about 1% of imported seafood shipments are physically inspected. Of that small sample that is inspected, approximately 50% contain chemicals that are illegal for fish farmed in the U.S. It is unconscionable that these products are being sold to unassuming customers and unconscionable that these fish imports are directly competing with domestic fisheries that adhere to the United States’ strict food safety standards. For this reason, I ask that FDA expand its inspection of imported seafood, and push our trading partners seeking to export seafood to the U.S. to adopt more stringent standards for the use of chemicals in the fish hatchery process that could be harmful to consumers.

China is the biggest producer and exporter of seafood in the world, and the fastest-growing supplier to the United States. Each year, about one in four Americans experiences a food borne illness, and seafood products cause approximately 20 percent of such outbreaks in the United States. Americans are consuming more seafood than ever, and to meet this growing demand, over 80% of it is imported and half of the seafood produced around the world comes from industrial fish farms, like those in China, some of which raise their fish in unsanitary conditions and use antibiotics and chemicals that can leave residues in the fish that people eat. While the FDA prohibits such antibiotics and chemicals in imported fish, we know that products containing contaminants reach our shores and are sold to American consumers. The possibility that tainted seafood is endangering the health of American consumers cannot and should not be ignored. As such, I urge the FDA to act expeditiously with respect to testing of seafood imports, particularly those products originating from China. I also respectfully urge FDA to improve country of origin labeling for fish at the retail point of sale. Consumers should be able to make informed decisions about the source of the seafood they purchase and consume.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. I also ask that you please keep me apprised of developments on this issue. If you have any questions, please contact my Washington, DC office at 202-224-6542.

###

Resource Center