Prison Trout Farm Growing
BUENA VISTA — Inmates have been tending trout at the medium-security prison in Buena Vista for 24 years but a streamlined operation has increased production and landed a deal from a major natural foods retailer. Colorado Correctional Industries, already known for its organic tilapia raised at the East Canon Prison Complex in Canon City, now makes fresh rainbow trout available for sale by Whole Foods markets in Colorado.
Correctional Industries took over the Buena Vista trout operation in 1990.
Production of 65,000 rainbow trout annually has increased to 200,000 thanks to expansion and improved practices.
Eight inmates work at the Buena Vista trout farm, said Jim Heaston, Correctional Industries agricultural operations manager.
The inmates start out by hatching the fish eggs in hatching jars before the tiny trout, also known as fry, are released to grow in outdoor flow-through cement ponds.
Once they reach the size of about half a pound, or 6-inches in length, some of the 5-month-old trout are purchased by the Colorado Division of Wildlife for release into Colorado's lakes and streams.
3 comments:
Please differentiate the custody level of offenders who are able to work at these industries. It's very confusing and these programs are only available to the minimum side at BV. Anyone on the medium side is not eligible to participate and that is just one of the many things wrong with DOC. No matter how well they do, anyone at medium closed custody and above is ineligible to do these things...I guess someone has to work in the kitchen... :(
The State of CO's general fund takes almost $30,000 a year per offender in DOC and some of them get less than $1.00 a day to raise fish for Whole Foods. DOC working hard for "public safety."
Prisoners earning low wages are now competing against legitimate business people trying to make a living. I hope the money earned by the prison is paid back to other trout farmers (Probably not). Let's have prisoners put others out of business.
Post a Comment