The USDA has announced Louisiana crawfish farmers are now covered under the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program, allowing producers to apply for federal disaster grants. Last year’s historic drought and a late-season freeze reduced production by about 200 million pounds at 45 thousand ponds. Louisiana Crawfish Processors Board Chairman David Savoy says it will take money to get production back to normal levels.
“You’ve got to re-seed… You’ve got to put more mamas and papas in there,” Savoy said.
Savoy said the funding will make a major difference and help farmers with reseeding.
“It will help us greatly. It’s greatly needed. Look, we’ve suffered the majority of that loss monetarily already,” Savoy said.
Savoy says supply has improved in April and May, but prices are still about a dollar more this year for boiled crawfish.
“It’s starting to turn around a little bit, but it just goes to show you how slow it is, for it to come back,” Savoy said.
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