Louisiana Crawfish Farmers Take a Hit from COVID-19
By Leslie Dixon
USA Rice
Spring in Louisiana is supposed to be a lively, bustling time. It’s planting season for rice farmers, Mardis Gras for tourists, and crawfish boils for the locals. But the COVID-19 pandemic has turned everything on its head, with Governor John Bel Edwards issuing a stay-at-home order on March 23 for all non-essential workers and businesses through at least April 30. And that means crawfish farming, like so many other industries, has taken a hit.
This time of year is normally the peak of crawfish season for Louisiana farmers. Usually, consumers all over the South would be hosting big outdoor boils with friends and family, but coronavirus social distancing protocol has made the tradition downright dangerous.