WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will purchase up to $25 million of Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Wild-Caught Shrimp to address food system supply chain disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
USDA will purchase these products via the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). Orders should be received during the first week of June with solicitations being issued mid-June and awards occurring near the end of the month.
Solicitations will be available electronically through the Web-Based Supply Chain Management (WBSCM) system and on the Agricultural Marketing Service’s website at www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food. To be eligible to submit offers, potential contractors must meet the AMS vendor qualification requirements and be domestic operations.
Read more about USDA’s announcement here.
Congressman Higgins issued the following statement:
“My office has continuously pushed for greater inclusion of Gulf seafood in USDA’s food and nutrition programs. Today’s announcement is a win on that front and provides support for Louisiana shrimpers. We will continue working to prioritize Louisiana’s seafood industry.”
