Ohio soybeans instead of fishmeal in fish foods? It's a good idea whose time has come, says Dave Smith, and later this year his Freshwater Farms will start a pilot project to prove it.
Smith, who has a doctorate in fish nutrition, tried the idea a few years ago, even launching the company Freedom Feeds. He says his product was good, but its price was not as competitive as the traditional kind.
Now, largely because of damage to the fish population since the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, fish meal prices are expected to double � opening the door to a good market for a grain and insect protein feed. Smith says the U.S. Soybean Council and Ohio Department of Agriculture support aquaculture, and he plans to take up his feed project again within the next year.
Freshwater Farms is a busy place already. Three generations of Smiths work at the Champaign County site, where they raise a variety of fish. They sell pond equipment, also. The Smiths' fish are sold to stock ponds and lakes � but also, to go straight to the dinner table. By operating their own FDA-inspected processing plant and 40-by-40 retail shop, they offer smoked trout, trout dips and other goodies.
Because of his expertise, Smith has consulted with people who want to convert their hog and cattle barns to fish farms. Fish are cleaner and better for the environment, he says.
Sidenote: The 9th annual Ohio Fish and Shrimp Festival will be held at Freshwater Farms Sept. 17-19.
Source: Dave Smith, Freshwater Farms
Writer: Gabriella Jacobs