WA Politicians Urge USDA To Purchase More Fish From Region

WASHINGTON, D.C. —Washington Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell and Rep. Derek Kilmer (D-Port Angeles), joined with several of their congressional colleagues from California and Oregon Thursday to make a plea to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on behalf of the seafood industry on the West Coast and Pacific Northwest.

In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, who heads the USDA, the lawmakers urged the organization to make sure West Coast fishermen and seafood processors "remain supported and a priority for USDA commodity purchasing programs."

The lawmakers explained the important role that fishermen and seafood processors in their region play in the industry as a whole.

"On average, commercial fishermen on the West Coast deliver more than $500 million in ex-vessel value per annum, accounting for 13 percent of the value of total U.S. seafood production," wrote the lawmakers.

They continued: "A quarter of all American seafood processing and wholesale jobs are located in Washington, Oregon, and California, representing the largest employment opportunity among all seafood-producing regions in the U.S."

However, like many industries, commercial fishing and seafood processing was hurt by the pandemic.

The letter cited a report by NOAA Fisheries in Dec. 2021 suggesting that ex-vessel revenue fell by 27 percent from 2019-20 and seafood dealers and processors sustained a decline in value added of $598 million, 0r 13.47 percent.

The NOAA found that a significant part of the lost value was due to restaurant closures and reduced export.”

"The West Coast saw a larger decline in revenue from commercial fishing landings than all regions as a whole, with a dip of 24 percent in 2020 as compared to a five-year baseline (2015-2019)," the lawmakers wrote.

The USDA has done its part to help both food producers and citizens facing food insecurity during the pandemic, by purchasing food and distributing it to a variety of domestic food assistance programs, including charitable institutions.

In May 2021, the USDA announced that it would purchase up to $159.4 million in domestically produced seafood, fruits, legumes and nuts for distribution to food assistance programs.

"The impacts of COVID-19 reverberated from our farms to our oceans," Vilsack said at the time. "U.S. fisheries and the American seafood industry were dealt a heavy blow. Today, USDA is pleased to make the largest single seafood purchase in the department's history. These healthy, nutritious food purchases will benefit food banks and nonprofits helping those struggling with food hardship as the Biden Administration works to get the economy back on track for American families."

In their letter to Vilsack, lawmakers thanked the USDA for purchasing just over $16 million in West Coast seafood products and "providing a significant boost for the industry and our coastal communities."

However, the lawmakers pointed out that "other regions have received significantly more support during the pandemic."

"USDA's procurement programs are critical for ensuring that our food production systems remain robust, essential workers remain employed, supply chains keep operating and America's nutritional needs are met," the letter stated. "We thus request that you include appropriate Pacific Northwest and West Coast seafood products that are currently being produced in large volumes, are easily accessible and easily transportable for immediate distribution to food assistance programs."