The Chesapeake Bay Region is set to receive several million dollars in support from USDA. It will help manage invasive catfish while making good use of those pests.
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins has committed $6 million in grants to expand seafood processing and target invasive wild-caught catfish. USDA will work with Maryland’s ag department to launch a $2 million pilot program that will put those catfish into local food banks.
Rollins says the move is a win for fishermen, local economies, and families in need.
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Both Congressional Ag Committees took up the bill over the summer, but there’s no word on when the Senate could move forward; it does expire on September 30.
The $221 million will help farmers and ranchers cover losses from Hurricane Helene that USDA programs didn’t cover. They’ll focus on infrastructure, markets, timber, and future economic losses.
Farmers are struggling with low commodity prices and skyrocketing input costs, resulting in debt that is outpacing income across the sector, according to the USDA’s new farm income forecast.
