Stefanski Seeks Help for Crawfish Farmers
By Crowley Post Signal
Rep. John Stefanski has penned a letter to members of the Louisiana Delegation in Washington, D.C., asking assistance for an issue he said he feels has been largely overlooked — the state’s crawfish industry.
“While the COVID-19 pandemic has brought many different challenges to our health and economy, it has been devastating to the crawfish industry here in Louisiana,” said the Crowley Republican. “I have watched as the federal government has provided various types of assistance and stimulus money, bu the traditional crawfish farmer has been largely left out.”
Stefanski points out that the total value of the crawfish industry to the state is estimated to be more than $423 million in 2019 and that the industry also affects many areas of the economy outside of traditional farming, including wholesale, restaurants and tourism.
“Crawfish farming is not only a significant economic driver for Southwest Louisiana, but it is also unique to Louisiana’s cultural identity,” he said.
The response to limit the spread of COVID-19, both in Louisiana and throughout the United States, caused significant disruptions to the normal operations of farmed crawfish at a time when production and supplies traditionally reached their peaks and when demand for crawfish was at its highest, according to Stefanski.