March 1, 2021

 

USSEC-backed catfish farm in China gets BAP certification

 

Early this year, Liyang Chen Qiang Special Aquaculture Products Farm, which is based in Jiangsu Province, China, became the first yellow catfish farm in the world to earn aquaculture certification from the US Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) and the Global Aquaculture Alliance's (GAA) Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP).

 

The US Soybean Export Council (USSEC) provided technical support to Liyang Chen Qiang in terms of improving aquaculture practices and a partial subsidy for receiving SSAP-BAP certification, which provides multiple benefits for all involved parties including:

 

- For the farm, more scientific management will allow for the production of higher quality, safer products that can be marketed on higher sales platforms and will receive better prices;

 

- For the US soy industry, the certification ensures that the farm can only use feed produced with SSAP-verified soybean products;

 

- For consumers, as all products are traceable with a QR code, consumers can purchase products with a peace of mind.

 

On January 31, a plaque-grant ceremony for the successful SSAP-BAP certification was held at Chen Qiang Special Aqua Products Farm. Representatives from USSEC's Shanghai office, GAA's China office and local government officials were invited to and took part in this ceremony.

 

With the successful certification, USSEC's next steps include:

 

- Expanding the number of the farms and feed mills to be certified;

 

- Working to get feed mills to carry the SSAP logos on their feed bags by committing that their annual total SSAP use in the feed mills will be more than 60%;

 

- Helping the certified farms to get their products into major online platforms and supermarkets.

 

By executing this pull-push activity, USSEC aims for more Chinese feed mills and farms to have increased awareness of the value of US soybeans, as well as their commercial value in the market.

 

This year, USSEC China's goal is to have a minimum of two to three feed mills sign memorandum of understandings with USSEC, committing to use no less than 60% of US soy products and to have a minimum of an additional four farms become certified.
 

- USSEC