After years of working in the hospitality industry, Ryan Anderson quit his job to start Little Moon Oyster Ranch.
“It takes a lot of care. It takes a lot of patience," Anderson said, “There’s [sic] a lot of scary times. There are a lot of rewarding times, but I think as long as you’re passionate and driven about something, you can usually find a way to make it work.”
Read MoreThe Supporting Oyster Aquaculture and Restoration Program today announced the 47 recipients of its Shellfish Growers Resiliency Fund (Fund), which included Barataria Beauties Oyster Co in Louisiana.
Read MoreLocal restaurants are starting to offer crawfish on their menus, but the prices are far steeper than customers are used to paying with prices often upwards of $6-7/pound, if not more.
The reason for the hike is because of the weather that we have endured in Louisiana throughout the past several months.
Read MoreLouisiana is typically known for its tropical climate but in recent years, scorching heat and little to no rain has affected more than just crops.
“This year is going to be a real challenge because the crawfish just won’t be there,” said Crawfish Haven/Mrs. Roses Bed & Breakfast Owner Barry Toups.
Read MoreLouisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain asked U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to fund the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-Raised Fish program, or a similar program, to aid Louisiana crawfish farmers affected by drought and cold temperatures. Strain made the request in a letter dated February 2, 2024.
Read MoreThe current projections for the 2024 crawfish season in Louisiana have been troubling for farmers and consumers alike as limited supply are expected to make prices soar on historic levels.
Some early prices for crawfish are already steep. James Karst sent Fox 8 a photo of a menu from Houma restaurant that offered a 10 lbs. crawfish special with one pound of potatoes for $139.99.
Read MoreCongressman Clay Higgins sent a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture requesting relief for Louisiana’s crawfish industry amid devasting losses from the drought in 2023 and the recent freeze.
In the letter sent on Wednesday, Higgins asked the USDA to revise the criteria for an eligible cause of loss to include drought under the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program.
Read MoreLouisiana's ongoing exceptional drought is making the Bayou state's staple of boiled crawfish unaffordable for many.
Louisiana is amid its worst drought since 2000, with more than 70% of the Bayou State in exceptional drought, the worst rating on the 5-level U.S. Drought Monitor scale. Many of the crawfish farmers' crops from last spring didn't survive without rain.
Read MoreCrawfish season is here, yet some popular places like Louisiana – the largest crawfish producer in the country – are without the delicacy as restaurants and seafood suppliers are struggling to get their hands on it.
Trudy Alexander, the owner of Kenner Seafood, said she has been shipping crawfish around the United States for nearly three decades.
Read MoreIn the latest episode of Bottom Line, Business Report traveled to one of the sources of Louisiana’s beloved crawfish: Four Oaks Farms in Morganza. The farm sits on over 1,500 acres of land. There, they harvest sugarcane, soybeans and crawfish.
Co-Owner Matt Frey starts selling his yield a little later in the year than most crawfish farms, and times harvesting with the rice growing season.
Read MoreNorth Louisiana has seen over nine inches of rain over the past several days, and more is expected into Friday night. But despite the deluge Louisiana has received, it won't be enough to be able to salvage this year's crawfish season.
Crawfish expert Mark Shirley, from the LSU AgCenter said, unfortunately, we won't see any substantial benefit from the recent rains. Shirley said the rains will help to flush the ponds, but won't increase the crawfish harvest.
Read MoreDespite several inches of rainfall in Louisiana over the last several days, an LSU crawfish expert says Louisianans will not see a boost in what’s expected to be a dismal crawfish season.
LSU AgCenter Crawfish Specialist Mark Shirley says the rain will help flush ponds, but will not increase crawfish harvest.
Read MoreLouisiana’s crawfish harvest is expected to hit a historic low in 2024.
Crawfish specialists in Louisiana are attributing the conditions to adverse weather conditions, including drought.
Read MoreLouisiana’s crawfish harvest is expected to hit a historic low in 2024, attributed to adverse weather conditions including drought.
The scarcity of the harvest is anticipated to drive prices up.
Read MoreWe’ve already learned that the 2024 crawfish season is going to be one of the worst ever in terms of supply and prices due to the severe drought. And now LSU Agent Crawfish Specialist Mark Shirley warns the outlook for next year isn’t promising either.
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