USDA Announces Large Purchase of Wild Alaska Pollock
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JUNEAU, AK — January 8, 2025 – The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is pleased to share the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announcement of an upcoming purchase of up to $50 million of Alaska pollock. These USDA purchases provide food insecure Americans with high-quality, healthy and sustainable seafood protein. They also support American fishermen, companies and communities currently struggling with low pollock prices due to reductions in demand and increased competition, mostly from Russia.
“We all appreciate the quick response by USDA to address the needs of the seafood industry and at the same time, food insecure Americans, by committing to purchase what may be more than 15 million pounds of wild Alaska pollock products,” said Bruce Schactler, ASMI’s Global Food Aid Director. “These nutritious seafood products, which may include fillet portions, fish sticks and nuggets, will strengthen the nutrition profile of USDA offerings as recommended in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, while at the same time helping to address the extreme market challenges that are so present and causing so much disruption across the entire Alaska seafood industry.”
These purchases will be made through Section 32 under the Secretary of Agriculture’s authority, a program that has benefitted U.S. fisheries in responding to supply chain disruptions and other market difficulties. This purchase will supply food banks and other food-aid distribution outlets around the U.S.
To learn more about the USDA solicitation, please follow this link: https://www.ams.usda.gov/content/pre-solicitation-announcement-section-32-purchase-livestock-and-poultry-products
Contact:
Greg Smith, Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
(907) 465-5562, [email protected]
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About the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute:
The Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute (ASMI) is a partnership between the State of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry promoting the benefits of wild and sustainable Alaska seafood and offering seafood industry education. The seafood industry is Alaska’s largest basic private sector employer with nearly 60% of all wild seafood and 90-95% of wild salmon harvested in the U.S. coming from Alaska. In addition to wild salmon, Alaska is known for its crab and whitefish varieties such as Pacific cod, sablefish, halibut, Alaska pollock, sole and rockfish – available fresh or frozen year-round. Alaska has been dedicated to sustainable seafood for more than 50 years and is the only state with a constitution that mandates all seafood be managed under the sustained yield principle. Alaska has taken a leadership role in setting the global standard for precautionary resource management to protect fisheries and surrounding habitats for future generations and leading to an ever-replenishing supply of wild seafood for markets worldwide.
