Press ReleaseUrgent2026-07-23

HYDE-SMITH ANNOUNCES USDA PURCHASE OF $20 MILLION IN SURPLUS U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH

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This press release from Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) was published on 2026-07-23 and titled "HYDE-SMITH ANNOUNCES USDA PURCHASE OF $20 MILLION IN SURPLUS U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH".

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HYDE-SMITH ANNOUNCES USDA PURCHASE OF $20 MILLION IN SURPLUS U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH

HYDE-SMITH ANNOUNCES USDA PURCHASE OF $20 MILLION IN SURPLUS U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH Thursday, July 23, 2026 CG46414 Thursday, July 23, 2026 HYDE-SMITH ANNOUNCES USDA PURCHASE OF $20 MILLION IN SURPLUS U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH Agreement Follows Senators’ Request, Supports Producers and Expands Food Assistance Program WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today said she expects Mississippi catfish producers to benefit from a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agreement to purchase up to $20 million in farm-raised catfish for distribution through food banks, charities, and other nutrition assistance programs. The $20 million purchase of farm-raised catfish is part of an overall USDA announcement to purchase up to $76.5 million in surplus U.S. commodities through the permanently authorized Section 32 program. This program authorizes the USDA to buy surplus U.S. commodities for domestic food and nutrition assistance programs. “The farm-raised catfish industry has been under tremendous financial pressure as producers have struggled with years of rising costs and inflation. Like many agricultural sectors, our catfish farmers have faced significant economic challenges,” said Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. “These Section 32 purchases will provide meaningful support for producers in Mississippi and other catfish-producing states while delivering a healthy, high-quality source of protein to families served by nutrition programs across the country,” she added. In June, Hyde-Smith led a letter encouraging Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to grant a request from the U.S. farm-raised catfish industry for relief through the Section 32 program. U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) also signed the letter. The Senators’ June letter to Rollins stressed the importance of the U.S. farm-raised catfish industry to their states, with nearly $2.0 billion in economic output and more than 9,100 direct and indirect jobs affected by “a crisis of economic sustainability.” Section 32 is funded through 30 percent of the previous year’s customs receipts, providing USDA with a permanent mechanism to support domestic producers while supplying nutritious food to families in need. Hyde-Smith and Wicker have consistently advocated for using Section 32 purchases to support Mississippi producers, including the state’s catfish, shrimp, and other agricultural industries, while strengthening food banks and nonprofit nutrition programs. Today’s announcement builds on a January 2025 USDA agreement to purchase up to $55 million in farm-raised catfish and Gulf shrimp. ### Issues Agriculture Education Health Care Jobs and Economy Rural Communities Region Delta East Central

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HYDE-SMITH ANNOUNCES USDA PURCHASE OF $20 MILLION IN SURPLUS U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH HYDE-SMITH ANNOUNCES USDA PURCHASE OF $20 MILLION IN SURPLUS U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH Thursday, July 23, 2026 CG46414 Thursday, July 23, 2026 HYDE-SMITH ANNOUNCES USDA PURCHASE OF $20 MILLION IN SURPLUS U.S. FARM-RAISED CATFISH Agreement Follows Senators’ Request, Supports Producers and Expands Food Assistance Program WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) today said she expects Mississippi catfish producers to benefit from a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) agreement to purchase up to $20 million in farm-raised catfish for distribution through food banks, charities, and other nutrition assistance programs. The $20 million purchase of farm-raised catfish is part of an overall USDA announcement to purchase up to $76.5 million in surplus U.S. commodities through the permanently authorized Section 32 program. This program authorizes the USDA to buy surplus U.S. commodities for domestic food and nutrition assistance programs. “The farm-raised catfish industry has been under tremendous financial pressure as producers have struggled with years of rising costs and inflation. Like many agricultural sectors, our catfish farmers have faced significant economic challenges,” said Hyde-Smith, who serves on the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee. “These Section 32 purchases will provide meaningful support for producers in Mississippi and other catfish-producing states while delivering a healthy, high-quality source of protein to families served by nutrition programs across the country,” she added. In June, Hyde-Smith led a letter encouraging Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to grant a request from the U.S. farm-raised catfish industry for relief through the Section 32 program. U.S. Senators Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) also signed the letter. The Senators’ June letter to Rollins stressed the importance of the U.S. farm-raised catfish industry to their states, with nearly $2.0 billion in economic output and more than 9,100 direct and indirect jobs affected by “a crisis of economic sustainability.” Section 32 is funded through 30 percent of the previous year’s customs receipts, providing USDA with a permanent mechanism to support domestic producers while supplying nutritious food to families in need. Hyde-Smith and Wicker have consistently advocated for using Section 32 purchases to support Mississippi producers, including the state’s catfish, shrimp, and other agricultural industries, while strengthening food banks and nonprofit nutrition programs. Today’s announcement builds on a January 2025 USDA agreement to purchase up to $55 million in farm-raised catfish and Gulf shrimp. ### Issues Agriculture Education Health Care Jobs and Economy Rural Communities Region Delta East Central