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2w ago

USDA Launches $6 Million Grant Fund and $2 Million Purchase Pilot to Curb Chesapeake Bay Blue Catfish

This initiative channels $8 million in processing grants alongside a Section 32 purchase pilot to curb blue catfish, expanding domestic protein supplies.

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Congressman Andy Harris and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announce a $6 million grant program for Maryland fisherman to catch and process invasive blue catfish. (Hannah Gaskill/Staff)

Overview

  • The Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program is offering $6 million in grants to seafood processors in Maryland and Virginia to build or modernize facilities.
  • Individual projects may receive between $250,000 and $1 million and must secure a 50 percent cost share from applicants.
  • A one-year, $2 million Section 32 pilot will purchase wild-caught blue catfish for distribution through food banks and charitable feeding networks.
  • Officials say the funding will boost Eastern Shore processing capacity and support job creation in rural fishing communities.
  • The program aims to remove invasive blue catfish from the Chesapeake Bay while strengthening local protein supplies and market opportunities for watermen.