USDA to purchase 405,000 pounds of wild salmon, awards catfish contracts

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.  

Bids are due by 20 December, and acceptances will be announced by 29 December. Winning suppliers will deliver the salmon between February and August 2024. 

In September, Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.-based Trident Seafoods landed a contract worth nearly USD 800,000 (EUR 751,500) to supply canned pink salmon to federal food and nutrition programs. Trident will supply 16,720 cases of canned salmon at USD 779,998 (EUR 723,000). 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also seeking to buy more wild Alaska pollock. In the new bid solicitation, the USDA is inviting offers to sell 230,000 pounds of frozen pollock fillets and sticks to use in the National School Lunch Program and other Federal Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs. 

In September 2022, the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) submitted requests to purchase Alaska sockeye salmon products – 5 million pounds of frozen fillets, 200,000 cases of tall cans, and 500,00 cases of half cans – as well as 50 million pounds of Alaska pollock products.  

In March 2023, Alaska’s congressional delegation followed up with a letter restating ASMI’s request.  

"Alaska suppliers are nearly finished with the first portion of their Alaska pollock season and need to market this massive harvest,” the delegation said. “Additionally, planning for the 2023 salmon season has begun while the record-breaking 2022 harvest is still being marketed. Millions of dollars are being spent and committed while waiting on the USDA to declare their need of Alaska seafood.”

The push to buy more salmon and wild Alaska pollock comes soon after the USDA awarded three suppliers pieces of USD 2.3 million (EUR 2.1 million) worth of contracts to supply unbreaded raw catfish fillets and breaded, oven-ready catfish strips. 

Isola, Mississippi, U.S.A.-based Consolidated Catfish Producers will supply USD 750,000 (EUR 695,000) in catfish, while Itta Benna, Mississippi-based Heartland Catfish will supply USD 694,640 (EUR 643,700), and Ocean Select Seafood in Henderson, Louisiana, US.A., will supply USD 850,060 (EUR 787,800) worth of catfish. 

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