American Food Producers Welcome Trade Deals, Call for Targeted Tariffs to Increase Food Security

Vital industries risk collapse, undermining rural economies and American agricultural independence

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, May 12, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- On the heels of a historic trade win, a coalition representing four American food industries praised President Trump's "America First" leadership, while calling for targeted tariffs on imported honey, catfish, crawfish, and shrimp to counter years of predatory trade practices.

The coalition—comprising the American Honey Producers Association, Catfish Farmers of America, Crawfish Processors Alliance, Louisiana Farm Bureau Crawfish Committee, and Southern Shrimp Alliance—warned in a joint letter that American food security is at risk without immediate action against dumped imports from Vietnam, China, India, and other nations. These vital industries risk collapse, undermining rural economies and American agricultural independence, absent strategic intervention.

"President Trump understands what previous administrations missed—food security is national security," said Steven Coy, president of the American Honey Producers Association. "After 25 years of damaging trade policies, American beekeepers need decisive intervention or face extinction. Strong targeted tariffs would allow domestic producers to rebuild while ensuring pollination services critical to over 130 U.S. crops valued at $20 billion."

The coalition's letter details how foreign producers have systematically undermined U.S. food industries through government subsidies, unsafe production methods, currency manipulation, and trade barrier abuse.

"The U.S. catfish industry has been devastated, with production capacity slashed by half and thousands of rural jobs eliminated," explained Brad Graham, president of Catfish Farmers of America. "Meanwhile, countries like Vietnam block U.S. exports while flooding our markets with subsidized products, including pangasius and other catfish-like products. President Trump's commitment to fair trade gives us hope that we will see significant action to offset the specific practices harming our domestic producers."

Kody Bieber, president of the Crawfish Processors Alliance, emphasized food safety concerns: "Imported, farm-raised seafood frequently contains banned substances and violates U.S. safety standards, yet continues entering our markets at artificially low prices. Previous administrations have documented these problems, but President Trump's leadership offers a clear path to addressing longstanding predatory trade practices that benefit foreign violators and undermine domestic producers."

The U.S. shrimp industry welcomed a recent communication from U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer as evidence that industry-specific tariff solutions could be considered separate from “reciprocal” tariffs. In a May 5 letter to Representative Troy Carter (D-LA), Ambassador Greer noted that “[t]he Trump Administration recognizes the critical contribution of America’s shrimp industry” and acknowledged that the challenge posed by unfairly-traded imports represents "not just a trade issue, but one of food security, economic stability, and a level playing field."

"U.S. shrimpers harvest America's favorite seafood sustainably while supporting coastal economies and communities," noted John Williams, executive director of the Southern Shrimp Alliance. "The Trump administration has demonstrated it stands by American workers. We hope this means America will stop outsourcing our shrimp supply to foreign producers with questionable practices that undermine economic and food security."

The coalition's specific recommendations include:
• Implementing tariffs on imported honey, catfish, crawfish, and shrimp calibrated to domestic production costs
• Strengthening enforcement against transshipment and duty evasion tactics
• Invoking the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and Section 232 authority to protect food security
• Enhancing inspection of imported products for safety violations

"Without immediate and strategic intervention from the Trump administration, these vital American industries risk permanent damage," warned J.B. Hanks, chairman of the Louisiana Farm Bureau's Crawfish Commodity Committee. "The livelihoods of American farmers, fishermen, and beekeepers—and the rural communities they support—hang in the balance."

About the American Honey Producers Association
The American Honey Producers Association is an organization with over 550 members dedicated to promoting the common interest and general welfare of every American honey producer. From the backyard beekeeper to large commercial beekeeping, the organization’s footprint includes the Southeast and Midwest, providing vital pollination benefits to farmers from California to Maine.

About the Catfish Farmers of America
Catfish Farmers of America is an association of U.S. farm-raised catfish producers, suppliers, processors, and marketers dedicated to promoting the general welfare of the U.S. catfish industry.

ABout the Crawfish Processors Alliance
Based in Louisiana, the Crawfish Processors Alliance represents the domestic crawfish processors located throughout the southeastern United States.
Louisiana Farm Bureau's Crawfish Commodity Committee

About the Louisiana Farm Bureau
The Louisiana Farm Bureau is made up of volunteer leaders at the local, parish and statewide levels. The Crawfish Commodity Committee is an advisory committee that meets regularly to discuss issues and recommend policies to support the state’s crawfish farmers and enhance the industry.
Southern Shrimp Alliance

About the Southern Shrimp Alliance
The Southern Shrimp Alliance is an organization of shrimp fishermen, shrimp processors, and other members of the domestic industry in the eight warmwater shrimp-producing states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas.

Deborah Long
Southern Shrimp Alliance
+1 804-360-0074
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