In a recent Senate hearing in American Samoa, the Director for the Department of Agriculture, Solia Mutini, faced scrutiny from the panel of senators regarding the execution of outcomes from bilateral talks between Samoa and American Samoa. 

The Senate expressed caution over the lack of legislative oversight and proper approval procedures for agreements reached between the two Samoas.

During the hearing, Director Solia Mutini was questioned by the Senate panel regarding the exporting of eggs from Samoa to American Samoa. 

The panel raised concerns about the absence of approval from the Fono or the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for this initiative. 

Additionally, inquiries were made regarding the decision to retain and sell the eggs through the Department of Agriculture rather than distributing them to local businesses for sale.

Director Mutini defended the decision, stating that it was based on the outcomes of the Atoa o Samoa meeting. 

However, he clarified that the decision had not been finalised and was undergoing a six-month trial period. 

He assured the Senators that the import of eggs into the territory from Samoa had been temporarily halted pending an official inspection by the USDA to determine their suitability for export.

Furthermore, Director Mutini emphasised that he had personally inspected the facilities where the eggs were produced in Samoa and confirmed their safety for consumption and export. 

He highlighted the benefits of the shorter transportation time, with the eggs reaching American Samoa within eight hours, thereby enhancing food security in the territory.

Despite the assurances provided by Mutini, the Senate urged caution and emphasised the importance of adhering to legislative requirements and prior agreements with the U.S.D.A. 

They emphasised the need for transparency and urged the Department of Agriculture to inform the Fono of any future plans, particularly those involving agreements between two countries.

In response, Mutini clarified that while meat products and eggs could be brought to American Samoa from Samoa for personal use (Fa'aoso), they could not be used for commercial purposes at this stage.

The Senate hearing underscored the importance of proper legislative oversight and approval processes in bilateral agreements between Samoa and American Samoa. 

While the initiative to export eggs from Samoa has potential benefits for food security, concerns regarding compliance with regulations and agreements with U.S.D.A. must be addressed.

Last year, the American Samoa authorities refuted claims that the eggs from Samoa were contaminated. 

Following the initial Atoa o Samoa discussions in 2022, the Samoa and American Samoa delegations conducted a tour of the Sunshine Pacific Poultry Farm and Hydroponics Vegetables Farm owned by Frankie, as part of an accreditation process to meet the U.S. standards to allow the export of the company’s eggs and vegetables. The visit also included the preliminary inspection of the Sunshine Pacific Poultry Slaughter House at Mulifanua.