Letter to Sonny Perdue, Secretary of the Dept. of Agriculture - Senators Markey and Warren, and Reps. Moulton and Keating Urge USDA to Include East Coast Seafood in Purchase Agreements Established with Coronavirus Recovery Funding

Letter

Dear Secretary Perdue,

We write again to request that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) include East Coast seafood
producers among the recipients of financial assistance to agricultural producers that the Department is
providing in response to the coronavirus pandemic. On April 17, 2020, USDA announced a $19 billion
Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) intended to support farmers, ranchers, and consumers
during this public health and economic crisis. But USDA did not specify whether seafood producers
would be eligible for that aid. We ask that you recognize the devastating effects the pandemic has had on
seafood businesses, engage with these important stakeholders, and include them in these financial
assistance programs.

As we have previously explained, the fishing and seafood industries are essential to the American
economy, with $5.6 billion worth of fisheries products landed and $11.6 billion worth of fisheries
products processed in 2018.2 The coronavirus outbreak has caused restaurants across the United States to
shutter, eliminating a key customer base. The pandemic has also disrupted large export markets in
countries such as China, which the coronavirus has hit hard. As a result, the U.S. fishing and seafood
industries are under serious financial duress that shows no signs of abating.

The $19 billion CFAP includes $9.5 billion from the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security
(CARES) Act, $3 billion from the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, and $6.5 billion from the
Commodity Credit Corporation. Congress designated the $9.5 billion in CARES Act funding for support
to agricultural producers affected by coronavirus, including producers that supply local food systems and
restaurants.4 Approximately two-thirds of U.S. seafood consumption occurs in restaurants.
When USDA begins its purchasing programs intended to assist those whom the pandemic has effected, USDA should include domestic seafood.

In addition to assistance available through the CFAP, USDA announced on April 17 that it would provide
an additional $873.3 million in Section 32 funding for the purchase of a variety of agricultural products
for distribution to food banks. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service has previously purchased seafood
through the Section 32 program, and we urge USDA to continue that practice.
East Coast seafood producers can offer a wide variety of seafood that currently does not have a market, and which should be included in purchases made for this program.

We urge you to work with these producers to better understand the available supply and to ensure their
inclusion when USDA starts implementing its announced programs. In order for us to better understand
USDA's consideration of seafood in its assistance to agricultural producers affected by the coronavirus
pandemic, please respond to the following questions by May 13, 2020:

1. Will USDA include seafood in its purchases of agricultural products under the CFAP?
2. Will USDA include seafood in its purchases of agricultural products under the additional $873.3
million in Section 32 funding?
3. Are there other USDA programs that will buy seafood products to provide assistance to producers
impacted by the coronavirus pandemic?
4. Is USDA currently in conversations with seafood producers from the East Coast to purchase
seafood?

If you have any questions about this request, please reach out to Claire Richer on Senator Markey's staff
at claire_richer@markey.senate.gov.

Sincerely,