Cargill, Inc. is a private global food corporation based in Minnesota and incorporated in Delaware. This company is the largest privately held corporation in the United States when it comes to revenue and was founded in 1865. Cargill has a long history of providing America, and the rest of the globe, with products that advance nutrition, food safety and sustainability. Recently, Cargill has outlined a plan to reduce the carbon footprint of the feed they produce for fish farming. Since Cargill is a major producer in aquaculture and agriculture feed, they already create high-quality feeds with a smaller impact on the planet. But Cargill is taking it one step further when it comes to fish feed.
Cargill plans to help salmon farmers reduce their environmental footprint by 30% by the year 2030. Salmon farming began in the 1960s on an experimental level, meaning that farmers were trying to figure out the infrastructure and systems necessary to produce farmed salmon. By the 1980s salmon farming was occurring in Norway, and in Chile by the 1990s. Over the past 40 years salmon has been farmed extensively and has gained an incredibly strong market presence. Nearly 60% of salmon produced worldwide is farmed, with the majority of production occurring in Chile, Norway, Scotland, and Canada. As the global population increases, the need for a safe and healthy protein option will increase as well. The estimation is that the demand for food will increase by 50%, with demand for animal-based foods set to increase by 70%. With salmon farming likely to increase, the strides taken by Cargill to reduce the carbon emissions associated with salmon production is a step in the right direction.
The plan is to transform the supply chain when it comes to salmon feed production. This includes growing plant friendly ingredients and reusing by-products such as fish trimmings when possible. Cargill will also utilize their aquaculture feed experience and knowledge to help salmon farmers maximize their production while also increasing their feed efficiencies yet decreasing the environmental impacts. Finally, Cargill is planning on providing feeds that promote the health of the salmon while also reducing the use of resources and the impact on the ocean. While the company is focusing on salmon currently, it plans on expanding this mentality to other commonly cultured species like shrimp. Focusing on these three areas, it appears that Cargill is making a move in the right direction when it comes to reducing the carbon footprint associated with aquaculture feeds. Only time will tell if this plan is a success.
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Farmed Seafood 