January 7, 2024 — Last month the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released an open purchase request for wild salmon. Now, the winners of the contract have been announced.
Of the wild salmon that the USDA is seeking, 252,000 pounds is for frozen fillets in the price range of $7.10-$7.40. The USDA also requested 153,520 cases of canned pink salmon in the price range of $43.49-$53.06.
December 21, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is purchasing up to USD 36 million (EUR 33 million) of wild shrimp from the U.S. Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic, U.S. Representative Garret Graves (R-Louisiana) announced in a press release.
The purchase is possible thanks to funds available under the USDA’s Section 32 Funds for Strengthening Markets, Income, and Supply, Graves’ office said.
December 14, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture is inviting companies to bid on contracts to supply 405,000 pounds of wild salmon, in a continuation of the department’s support for the Pacific Northwest commercial salmon fishery. The announcement comes soon after the agency awarded more than USD 2 million (EUR 1.85 million) in contracts to supply domestic catfish.
The USDA wants to purchase 252,000 pounds of wild frozen salmon fillets and 153,520 cases of wild canned pink salmon for use in the National School Lunch Program and other Federal Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs.
December 12, 2023 — After a significant pollock purchase of USD 1.75 million (EUR 1.6 million) in November, the U.S. Department of Agriculture is seeking to buy more wild Alaska pollock with a deadline to receive bids of 13 December.
Simultaneously, the agency awarded a significant walleye contract worth more than USD 1.4 million (EUR 1.3 million).
December 5, 2023 — Channel Fish Processing and Trident Seafoods split USD 1.75 (EUR 1.6 million) in Alaska pollock contracts awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture on 1 December.
Braintree, Massachusetts, U.S.A.-based Channel Fish will supply USD 988,559 (EUR 913,854) worth of frozen pollock sticks, while Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.-based Trident will supply bulk surimi worth USD 759,924 (EUR 702,497).
Read the full story at SeafoodSource
December 2, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reissued a solicitation for 108,000 pounds of walleye fillets after receiving zero bids on an identical solicitation earlier this year.
The walleye fillets are for distribution to Idaho and Missouri via the National School Lunch Program and other federal food assistance programs, according to the government’s notice. The deadline for offers is 7 December, with any contracts announced by 14 December. If a contract is awarded, the walleye fillets need to be delivered between 16 January and 29 February 2024. A third of the fillets will go to Idaho, while the remainder will go to Missouri.
November 28, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture wants to purchase more than 800,000 pounds of catfish products, according to a new solicitation.
The department is planning to buy 342,000 pounds of unbreaded, raw catfish fillets and 462,000 pounds of oven-ready, breaded catfish strips for domestic food distribution programs.
November 3, 2023 — The U.S. Senate passed a package of appropriations bills in late October that included funding for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The legislation includes key provisions for the domestic seafood industry and brings Congress one step closer to providing funding for fiscal-year 2024 and avoiding a government shutdown. Congress agreed to a last-minute deal in September to avert a partial shutdown, but that agreement expires 17 November.
October 19, 2023 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has signed a USD 776,210 (EUR 733,970) cooperative agreement with the U.S. state of Maine to fund school-issued meal programs.
Funds for the programs will go toward purchasing nutritious, local foods to boost student health and build new relationships between schools and local farmers, the USDA stated in a release on 26 September.
September 27, 2023 — Industry groups representing the commercial seafood sector are rallying support for several provisions to the Farm Bill that would elevate seafood’s profile within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Trade groups, including the National Fisheries Institute (NFI), the Seafood Harvesters of America (SHA), the Pacific Seafood Processors Association (PSPA), and the At-Sea Processors Association (APA), as well as seafood processors Pacific Seafoods and Trident Seafoods, circulated a sign-on letter earlier in September encouraging Congress to adopt the legislation.