Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry issued a disaster declaration Wednesday for the state’s crawfish industry after last year’s severe drought devastated this year’s harvest, which should be at its peak during Lent and Easter, USA Today Network reports.
“It’s the worst season in my history, and I’ve been farming crawfish for 30 years,” Acadiana farmer Richard Fontenot says. “We’re 80 percent behind where we usually are.”
Landry’s executive order comes at the request of Louisiana’s congressional delegation as it seeks to unlock federal aid for farmers back home.
“Louisiana’s extreme drought conditions have affected our farmers, our economy and our way of life,” Landry says in a statement. “All 365,000 crawfish acres in Louisiana have been affected by these conditions. That is why I am issuing a disaster declaration.
The LSU AgCenter’s preliminary estimate of crop loss and damage to Louisiana’s crawfish industry is nearly $140 million.
The disaster declaration allows farmers to access Small Business Administration Economic Injury Disaster loans. State officials—including the governor and Congressman Clay Higgins—have requested USDA assistance for crawfish farmers, who are typically exempt from USDA assistance programs.
