Walmart Launches Sustainability Leaders Program to Empower Customers to Reward Seafood Producers
Walmart has launched its own sustainability sourcing program that will provide its customers with more information about food and other products that are affordable and produced in an environmentally and socially responsible way. The retailer’s “Sustainability Leaders” program is based on the Sustainability Consortium’s sustainability index. Walmart will label eligible products with an in-house logo for those that score an 80 percent or higher on the Consortium’s index. According to John Sackton Walmart’s program ends any remaining sustainability issues Walmart has had with the Alaskan salmon industry. Sackton also said this is a further evolution in Walmart’s approach to sustainable food sourcing; one likely to be adopted by other retailers.
Maine lobster landings were 123.6 million pounds in 2014 making this the first time in more than 100 years of records that landings have exceeded 100 million pounds four years in a row. The overall value--driven by a big year-over-year rise in the per pound price--set a new record reaching an estimated $456.9 million. “During the 2014 season we saw a perfect mix of conditions for economic improvement in the Maine lobster fishery,” said Maine DMR Commissioner Patrick Keliher.
In other news TUF estimated that Thai shrimp production could rise 25 percent from last year to around 250,000 tons. The company’s outlook differs from a government survey that said Thai output could be as high as 400,000 tons, a far larger growth rate seen among countries just recovering from EMS.
Finally, clam traders have reported short supplies with fishermen unable to harvest and prices are up sharply since the start of the month. Like the current lobster market situation, ice and cold temperatures have reduced fishing efforts and pinched clam supplies; this has sent prices up in late February.
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