A one-page bill sponsored by an unlikely team of U.S. congressmen could hold the key to stabilizing the crawfish industry.
As we previously reported, several processing plants across the state were left without H2B visa workers to peel crawfish. Farmers say it sent shockwaves across the industry.
Read MoreCongressmen Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA), Clay Higgins (R-LA), and Cleo Fields (D-LA) introduced the bipartisan Crawfish Reclassification for Agricultural Workforce (CRAW) Act. This bill amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to explicitly classify crawfish‑processing work—such as washing, sorting, grading, whole‑boiling, peeling, and transporting—as “agricultural labor or services.” By recognizing these tasks as agricultural, the legislation makes crawfish‑processing employers eligible to use the H‑2A visa program, which is designed for temporary agricultural labor and is not subject to the annual caps that restrict the H‑2B program.
Read MoreStarting Aug. 1, there will be stricter penalties for businesses caught mixing domestic and foreign seafood and selling it as locally sourced.
The law's author, State Representative Timothy Kerner (R-Lafitte), says that the law, signed by Governor Jeff Landry a week ago, will help out the Louisiana seafood industry.
Read MoreAs crawfish season enters its final stretch in Louisiana, farmers and restaurant owners are reflecting on a year they say played out differently than expected, with shifting catches, unpredictable weather and mixed results across the industry.
Read MoreLouisiana will soon see tougher regulations on imported seafood with the passage of a slew of laws designed to support the state’s shrimpers, whose industry has struggled for decades to compete with cheap foreign imports.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for June 2026, which are effective June 1, 2026. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.
Read MoreLouisiana leads the country in crawfish production, bringing more than $300 million to the state each year. What happens when there aren't enough employees to get them to buyers?
Read MoreDiesel prices jumped from roughly $3.50 a gallon to more than $5 by spring, driven by the war with Iran and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. For a shrimper already operating on slim margins, that's not just an inconvenience. It's an existential threat.
Read MoreCrawfish farmers in south Louisiana are wrapping up the season on a subdued note, with many saying catches never reached the levels they had hoped for — and now turning their attention to restocking for next year.
Read MoreThis week, Congressmen Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) and Clay Higgins (R-LA) sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer urging a Section 301 investigation into unfair practices harming the American seafood industry.
Read MoreCongressmen Clay Higgins (R-LA) and Troy Carter (D-LA) penned a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer urging a Section 301 investigation into unfair practices affecting trade in seafood products.
Read MoreLouisiana congressmen are leading an effort to investigate foreign seafood importers engaging in harmful trade practices.
Reps. Clay Higgins, R-La., and Troy Carter, D-La., sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Ambassador Jamieson Greer urging a Section 301 investigation into unfair practices affecting trade in seafood products.
Read MoreThe U.S. House has passed a sweeping Farm Bill that, for the first time, meaningfully integrates seafood into federal agriculture policy—offering potential gains for commercial fishers, shrimpers and processors.
Read MoreFew agricultural sectors capture the identity of a state in the way crawfish defines Louisiana. From roadside boils to restaurant menus far beyond the Gulf Coast, crawfish is both an economic engine and a cultural institution. But behind that visibility, the industry is navigating a convergence of pressures - rising production costs, intensifying import competition, a critical labor supply disruption and increasing weather volatility - that are testing the financial resilience of producers across the region.
Read MoreThis year’s crawfish season is shaping up to be a mixed bag. Farmers are in the middle of peak harvest, but the catch so far has been average, with several challenges impacting production.
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