Buhl, Idaho, U.S.A.-based feed company Rangen Aquaculture Nutrition has become the first U.S. firm to earn the Aquaculture Stewardship Council’s (ASC) Feed Certification.
Confirmed on 11 November, Rangen’s feed mill in Buhl is now certified by the ASC to produce feed for freshwater trout, salmon, seriola, cobia, shrimp, and tilapia.
“Rangen Aquaculture is committed to delivering nutritionally rich solutions from hatch to harvest, and ASC is now a key part of that commitment,” Rangen Director of Aquaculture Carrington Gorman said in a release. “Rangen brings decades of expertise to specialty aquaculture with a focus on strict specifications and quality control standards. Demonstrating alignment with the ASC Feed Standard makes Rangen an industry leader for American feed companies, showing we’ve met the world’s strictest standards to deliver an exceptional product that’s not only nutritious for animals but sustainable for the environment.”
The ASC first began permitting mills to apply for Feed Standard Certification in January 2023. To achieve certification, any certified mill must source its ingredients from environmentally friendly sources, and any marine ingredients used in the feed must be derived from fisheries certified to the Marine Stewardship Council standard.
After nearly three years of allowing mills to apply, the ASC began fully enforcing its new Feed Standard on 31 October of this year, requiring ASC-certified farms to use feed from certified mills from that point on and making “Rangen’s achievement especially timely for U.S. producers preparing for the next stage of industry transformation,” according to the council.
“Rangen achieving the first ASC Feed Certification in the United States is a significant step for the U.S. aquaculture sector,” ASC Feed Engagement Manager Aisla Jones said. “This certification demonstrates a trailblazing step forward in responsible sourcing and production. By embedding sustainability at the very start of the aquaculture value chain, Rangen is helping to build a more transparent and trusted seafood industry for the future.”
The Idaho firm’s aquaculture operations stem back to 1950 and has grown to include an additional aquaculture feed mill in Angleton, Texas, U.S.A.
Rangen’s assets were acquired by Wilbur-Ellis Nutrition – an international marketer and distributor of agricultural products, animal nutrients, and specialty chemicals and ingredients – in 2019.
“Rangen is a strategic fit for Nutrition. It significantly expands our aquaculture business, immediately giving Wilbur-Ellis a nationwide platform from which to expand in one of the fastest-growing markets in the global feed industry,” Andrew Loder, former president of the nutrition division of Wilbur-Ellis, said in a release at the time. “The acquisition also benefits the company’s livestock, pet, and companion animal offerings by expanding our branded and custom-formulated feed options. We have been very impressed by the focus of Rangen employees on innovation and their laser focus on helping customers succeed.”
Besides the U.S., ASC has confirmed that several other countries have feed mills now meeting its new standard, including Norway, Ecuador, the U.K., Germany, Finland, Canada, Chile, Vietnam, Spain, Honduras, and Costa Rica.
