US Blacklists Several Thai Pet Food Products

The US Department of Labor recently stated that Thai pet food, fish meal, and fish oil products that are manufactured from tuna and other seafood have been identified to come from “potential child labor and forced labor risks.” Several Thai pet food products were blacklisted following the ‘2024 List of Goods Produced by Child Labor or Forced Labor’ report published in September.

The Thai government quickly appointed a task force to look into the details and ensure that blacklisted products will be removed from the list soon. The team’s task is to ensure that the production processes comply with global labor guidelines, combat labor abuses, and uphold ethical standards to protect the industry’s reputation and retain access to the American market, reported Thai news sites. The Thai Pet Food Trade Association (TPFA) and the Thai Tuna Industry Association are also involved in the newly established task force. The US is the largest market for Thai pet food. The Asian country exported 19,600 M/T of pet food to the US in H1 2024, more than what was sent in the first half of 2022 and 2023.