Central Louisiana News

Congresswoman Julia Letlow has announced that crawfish will now be included under the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP), and the USDA Farm Service Agency will commence relief efforts for losses in crawfish production experienced in 2023 and beyond.

The push for this assistance was initiated by Congresswoman Letlow in September 2023 with her Drought Assistance Improvement Act. This act came as a response to the severe drought disaster Louisiana experienced last summer, which greatly impacted the state's crawfish industry. The bill proposed an expansion of ELAP coverage for farm-raised fish producers, specifically adding crawfish farmers who have suffered losses due to extreme weather or drought.

Following the introduction of her bill, Congresswoman Letlow wrote a letter to Secretary Vilsack and included language in the FY2024 Appropriations Bill directing the USDA to take action on this issue.

In response to this development, Congresswoman Letlow stated, “I have consistently called upon this administration to deliver relief for our crawfish industry that suffered greatly due to the extreme weather they were faced with this past summer. Today, it was confirmed to me that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will now be including crawfish under ELAP to deliver relief for losses suffered in 2023 and in the future. This is a huge win for crawfish farmers in Louisiana and around the country to ensure they receive the assistance they need. I will continue to do all I can to support our vital domestic agriculture industry and make certain crawfish remain a thriving industry in Louisiana for generations to come.”

Jim Harper, La. Farm Bureau President, also expressed his gratitude towards Congresswoman Letlow's efforts stating, “Louisiana Farm Bureau has worked closely with Congresswoman Letlow and other members of our delegation to get this much needed relief for our crawfish farmers. The crawfish industry is vital to our economy and our way of life. On behalf of our 145,000 members, I thank Congresswoman Letlow for urging USDA to do the right thing and provide aid through ELAP to crawfish farmers. This aid will not make up for all losses many farmers have faced financially this season, but it will go a long way in making it so they can hopefully continue to farm again next year.”