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Donating aquatic foods to anti-hunger organizations
Often after the completion of research studies, aquatic animals involved in the investigations need to be disposed. There are numerous options available. However, fresh aquatic foods that have not been treated or exposed in any way that would preclude human consumption, are highly nutritious and can contribute to alleviating hunger. Below is an example of one option and a request to exchange information and experiences in donating aquatic foods to anti-hunger organizations.
Gary Jensen
USDA-CSREES
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TO: seafood research institutions and commercial seafood producers
FROM: John Davidson, The Conservation Fund Freshwater Institute
RE: interest or experience in donations of seafood to anti-hunger organizations
"The United States is the largest and most efficient food producer in the world. Yet, each year nearly 35 million Americans are threatened by hunger, including 13 million children. These numbers would be even greater save for the fact that Americans are a caring people, quick to respond to human suffering and mindful of the responsibility that wealth brings." (from A Blueprint to End Hunger, Alliance to End Hunger and other anti-hunger organizations, June 3, 2004)
We are writing to you today from The Conservation Fund's Freshwater Institute in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, to provide some important information about our program and to seek feedback from like-minded individuals and institutions. For those of you who might not be familiar with our organization, the Freshwater Institute is a non-profit program of the Conservation Fund located in Arlington, VA. (see: www.freshwaterinstitute.org for more information)
The Freshwater Institute works with government, industry, and non-profits to develop sustainable and environmentally responsible solutions for water resource management. Over the last fifteen years, one of the primary areas of research at our facility includes aquaculture systems technology development, specifically the evaluation of recirculating water systems for the intensive production of coldwater species. Our research laboratory is designed to function as a small scale production facility capable of producing close to 100,000 lbs of fish per year.
Last year, we began to harvest food-size Arctic char on a monthly basis from our growout system and quickly realized that we needed to find an effective means of disposal for the large numbers of fish that would soon need to be harvested. We pursued the most logical and altruistic option that we thought to be available, which was to donate these fish to organizations that could feed hungry people. In 2003, through a partnership with America's Second Harvest, the Federation of Virginia Food Banks, and Kraft Foods the Freshwater Institute donated over 80,000 lbs of food-size Arctic char and rainbow trout to help feed hungry people in Virginia and the DC capital area. Through the same partnership we are currently donating rainbow trout with the potential to donate up to 100,000 lbs this year.
We are curious if other organizations ever experience similar problems related to disposal of extra fish or seafood that are by-products of research or other industry support efforts. We would also be interested to find out if there are other facilities that have participated (or are currently participating) in a similar project to donate aquaculture products to a hunger relief organization. We realize that our scale and research direction might be somewhat unique from other organizations involved with aquaculture and that not all research could lead to a product that could be donated.
We are working with The Federation of Virginia Food Banks to develop a national resource guide that describes the opportunities and requirements of such collaborative relationships. We hope to answer questions about quality and quantity, liability, food safety, logistics, concerns by program funders and other issues by expanding our observations to case examples of outcomes elsewhere. We would be very interested in hearing from you if you think you have product that could be used in this way, have experience (positive or negative) in such donation programs, or you have questions about how such a program might work for you.
Thank you for your help.
Please respond to: Mr. John Davidson j.davidson@freshwaterinstitute.org
Research Associate
The Conservation Fund Freshwater Institute
1098 Turner Road
Shepherdstown, WV 25443
304-876-2815 x261 voice
304-870-2208 fax
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