USSEC is partnering with an aquaculture farm and a feed manufacturer to organize a feeding demonstration in Costa Rica.  Consultant Jairo Amezquita travelled to that country to oversee the onset of the project.  The goal of the demonstration is to evaluate the inclusion of U.S. soy protein concentrate (SPC) in the species feed of red snapper.  Three types of feed, all manufactured by a local aquafeed mill, are being used in the demonstration:  the first contains SPC, the second is a commercial brand of feed with a high inclusion of fishmeal and the third is the current feed used by the farm as a control.  This experimental feed was formulated to contain the same crude protein and fat levels as the commercial feeds.

Mr. Amezquita visited the aquafeed mill to supervise the manufacture of the experimental feed for both general quality and the protein/fat ratios in the feed as established by demonstration protocol.  He also visited the aquaculture farm to review the conditions of the facility, to select the fish for the feeding demonstration from the same batch of fish used in the last year’s feed demonstration and to conduct the start of the feed demonstration.
This feeding demonstration provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the benefits of using U.S. soy products in aqua feeds and increase the consumption of U.S. soy products.