The value of US seafood purchased by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has exploded over the past several years, making the government one of the largest purchasers of Alaska pollock and other seafood.

According to USDA data obtained by IntraFish, the value of US seafood used in USDA contracts tripled from 2014 to 2021, when it totaled nearly $152 million (€140 million).

The volume of seafood purchased by the USDA within the same time frame has increased by about 59 percent to nearly 40 million pounds, highlighting the inflationary costs of the key species purchased under the programs, which are primarily Alaska pollock and salmon.