May 10, 2023 — There’s relief among South Coast fishing communities following the announcement of the United State Department of Agriculture’s purchase of $52 million in Oregon seafood products.
“Before, somebody would think whether or not they should or can afford hiring a crewman. Maybe now they can actually say, ‘Okay, I actually know that we need to deliver these orders,” said Yelena Nowak, Executive Director of the Oregon Trawl Commission. “And I think processors will be in the same position. They know that they need labor. There’s no uncertainty about it.”
The USDA program traditionally purchases surplus food products from vendors for food assistance programs, but seafood is moving higher on the food list.