“Come rain, shine, sleet or snow, Louisiana’s mudbug farmers always work hard to deliver quality food to crawfish lovers. My CRAWDAD Act would make sure crawfish producers have access to the emergency support they need when droughts and other severe weather strike.”
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Kennedy (R-La), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today reintroduced the Crawfish Recovery Assistance from Weather Disasters and Droughts (CRAWDAD) Act. The bill would support Louisiana crawfish jobs when severe weather puts strain on the industry.
“Come rain, shine, sleet or snow, Louisiana’s mudbug farmers always work hard to deliver quality food to crawfish lovers. My CRAWDAD Act would make sure crawfish producers have access to the emergency support they need when droughts and other severe weather strike,” said Kennedy.
Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) cosponsored the CRAWDAD Act.
“When you think Louisiana, you think crawfish. Crawfish farmers work hard to provide Louisiana and the world with the tastiest crawdads possible. Let’s support them as they do so, rain or shine,” said Cassidy.
Background:
- The Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) provides producers of livestock, honeybees and farm-raised fish access to federal financial assistance when they face adverse weather, disease or loss conditions.
- In 2021, the Secretary of Agriculture temporarily expanded the ELAP to include crawfish producers when the industry suffered losses.
The CRAWDAD Act would make crawfish producers eligible for ELAP funding on a permanent basis, ensuring that they have access to the emergency support they need without unnecessary bureaucratic delays.
Kennedy’s bill would also classify a drought as a weather event that the Secretary of Agriculture could declare as an emergency.
The Louisiana Farm Bureau supports the CRAWDAD Act.
“Louisiana crawfish farmers hope to never see another drought like they did in 2023. Louisiana Farm Bureau appreciates Senator Kennedy in the reintroduction of the CRAWDAD Act to provide additional support for this vital Louisiana industry,” said Louisiana Farm Bureau President Richard Fontenot.
Full text of the CRAWDAD Act is available here.