The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued USD 2 million (EUR 1.7 million) in grant funding to two businesses to improve processing capacity for blue catfish, an invasive and prolific species in the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
State and federal lawmakers have worked to increase processing capacity and grow the market for blue catfish, a voracious fish that can have a devastating impact on local ecosystems. In 2021, U.S. Congress established the Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program under USDA to expand food processing capacity, and lawmakers have worked to ensure some funding is set aside to support catfish processing in the Chesapeake Bay region. Last year, USDA announced USD 6 million (EUR 5.2 million) in grant funding was available through the program for catfish processors.
Now, USDA has announced another USD 2 million in funding, with two local processors each receiving USD 1 million (EUR 860,000) in support.
“This investment in the processing of invasive wild-caught catfish not only solves a problem but also adds to the list of ways Secretary [of Agriculture Brooke] Rollins and the USDA are supporting President Trump’s America First agenda by investing in economic opportunity and prosperity in rural communities,” USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Programs Administrator J.R. Claeys said in a release.
USD 1 million was awarded to Arlington, Virginia, U.S.A.-based Chippin to complete facility upgrades and purchase equipment for its Valmeyer, Illinois, U.S.A. processing facility, which will utilize catfish for pet food.
The other USD 1 million grant was awarded to Grasonville, Maryland, U.S.A.-based BSA Seafood, which will use the funding to purchase equipment for its facility in Denton, Maryland, U.S.A. The expansion will help the company grow to processing 500,000 pounds of catfish annually and establish 20 full-time jobs. BSA Seafood takes local blue catfish and produces value-added products, according to USDA.
“I’m grateful to USDA and Secretary Rollins for this significant investment to combat invasive blue catfish in the Eastern Shore,” U.S. Representative Andy Harris (R-Maryland) said in a release. “This funding gives BSA Seafood the resources to expand blue catfish processing, open new market opportunities, and create good-paying jobs in my district. It directly supports our watermen and seafood processors and turns a growing challenge in the Chesapeake Bay into long-term economic growth for Maryland.”
“We’re incredibly grateful to receive this funding and are excited about the opportunity to continue growing our operations and supporting Maryland’s seafood industry. This investment will allow us to expand our capabilities and create new opportunities in the region,” Amanda Williams of BSA Seafood added in a statement. “We're grateful to Congressman Harris for his support throughout this process."
