Lafayette Reporter

Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana has introduced the Crawfish Recovery Assistance from Weather Disasters and Droughts (CRAWDAD) Act to provide support to the state's crawfish industry in the face of challenges brought on by severe weather and droughts.

“Louisiana’s crawfish farmers have worked hard to weather a bad freeze and devastating drought. My CRAWDAD Act would give mudbug farmers the help they need to keep delivering quality Louisiana fare to crawfish lovers everywhere,” said Senator Kennedy.

The bill aims to expand Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) funding to crawfish producers and allow the Secretary of Agriculture to declare a drought as an emergency weather event. This would ensure that crawfish farmers can receive assistance promptly without bureaucratic delays.

In 2021, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack extended ELAP assistance to crawfish farmers when the industry faced losses. Senator Kennedy's bill seeks to maintain this support for crawfish farmers during challenging times.

The Louisiana Farm Bureau has voiced its support for the CRAWDAD Act, with President Jim Harper stating, “Senator Kennedy offering this bill is a huge support to our efforts to get crawfish farmers an adequate safety net...We depend on someone like Senator Kennedy to deliver these solutions and he has stepped up in a big way.”

The ELAP program provides financial assistance to livestock, honeybee, and farm-raised fish producers in times of adverse weather conditions. Louisiana experienced extreme drought in 2023, leading to a shortage in crawfish and subsequent price increases.

As a result, the price per pound of crawfish has nearly doubled since 2023. Senator Kennedy's bill aims to ensure that Louisiana's crawfish farmers can receive federal aid to sustain their businesses and preserve jobs in the state.

The full text of the CRAWDAD Act can be found on Senator Kennedy's website.