Disaster Declared: The struggles crawfish producers in Louisiana are facing

Dryness, extreme heat and saltwater intrusion on the Mississippi River coupled with a hard winter freeze had led to a disaster declaration for Louisiana’s crawfish industry.

This year’s crawfish harvest is being deemed devastating and has led to significant price hikes. All 365,000 acres have been impacted and Louisiana State University’s Agriculture Center is estimating potential losses at nearly $140 million.

This Week in Louisiana Agriculture shares more about this season’s struggles, which now includes birds.

Crawfish farmer, Connor Poepeck shared that recovery following this hard season will take time, potentially up to two years.