A federal grant for $8.5 million has been awarded to the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute for the purpose of increasing its international marketing efforts over the next five years, ASMI announced in mid-December.
“We were pleasantly surprised,” said ASMI Executive Director Jeremy Woodrow, who announced receipt of the grant, which is specifically designed for marketing and trade efforts, on Dec. 19.
The $8.5 million grant come from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service Regional Agricultural Program (RAPP).
Key uses for the USDA RAPP funds include expansion of trade and foodservice promotions in Southeast Asia and Latin America, adding consumer marketing programs to both regions, plus expanded efforts in Brazil to include consumer marketing and helping that market to grow by $10 million to $15 million in exports annually.
The funds will also be used to add the Middle East/North Africa (MENA) region as a program area, with development of promotional efforts like consumer, retail, foodservice and trade marketing and a feasibility study to examine Alaska seafood export potential to India.
Woodrow said the timing of the new federal funds is well-aligned with the Alaska Seafood industry’s needs to combat numerous global economic pressures.
“While these funds will help ASMI grow our international efforts, they will also allow ASMI to direct additional state funds toward the U.S. market, where consumer demand for seafood has fallen dramatically and is sorely in need of marketing support,” Woodrow said.
“We look forward to this opportunity to help grow the Alaska seafood brand and increase demand around the world,” he added.
ASMI, a partnership of the state of Alaska and the Alaska seafood industry, promotes the benefits of wild and sustainable Alaska seafood and offers seafood industry education. It’s total 2025 budget for 2025 exceeds $21 million.
ASMI has a total of 20 employees, plus overseas marketing experts and with the grant, it now can expand from nine to 10 regions of the world with federally funded contractors.
Nearly 60% of all wild seafood and 90-95% of wild salmon harvested in the United States comes from Alaska, according to ASMI.