The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is buying pollock, haddock, and ocean perch fillets worth $28.8 million in its latest round of purchases for its child nutrition and domestic food assistance programs.
The purchase, split between two providers in New Bedford, Mass., Blue Harvest and Pier Fish, fulfills part of the USDA’s promise to purchase U.S. East Coast seafood for food bank donations.
Pier Fish is receiving the larger portion of the contract, and will provide 15.6 million worth of haddock and ocean perch to the USDA. Of that total, the company is providing 18,000 cases of haddock fillets, and 34,200 cases of ocean perch.
Blue Harvest will provide 43,200 cases of Atlantic pollock fillets and 900 cases of ocean perch fillets, with a combined value of $11.6 million.
The purchase award, dated March 17, included an unfulfilled contract for 12,600 cases of Atlantic pollock fillets, which was not awarded due to vendor capacity, and a contract for 900 cases of haddock fillets that was not awarded due to price considerations. The initial solicitation for bids was released on March 3, 2023.
The purchases add to the $4.5 million in contracts awarded for canned pink salmon in early March 2023 as the USDA continues its strategy of increasing its seafood purchases. Earlier this year, the USDA also purchased 8 million worth of canned pink salmon and frozen pink salmon.
