Catfish Rule Includes Transition Period, In Line With TPP Side Letter
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) last week released a long-awaited final rule implementing a stricter inspection regime for catfish mandated under the 2008 farm bill, while at the same establishing an 18 month transition period for catfish exporters like Vietnam to put in place an equivalent system before cutting off market access. The implementation window, which sources said is the most significant change from a proposal rule issued in 2011, follows through on a commitment the U.S. made to...