Congressman Carter Announces Crucial Federal Resources to Aid the Crawfish Industry
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-LA) issued a statement following a Disaster Declaration from the Small Business Administration for the Louisiana Crawfish Aquaculture Industry.
“I want to thank Administrator Guzman for making federal resources available to our crawfish farmers, processors, restaurants, grocery stores, and boilers,” said Rep. Carter. “Crawfish aquaculture is more than just a product in Louisiana; it's a way of life. Generations of farmers have dedicated themselves to this time-honored tradition, and recent climate events have resulted in financial setbacks and dealt a blow to the cultural fabric of our state. The crawfish industry is intertwined with our identity, and its preservation is crucial. These federal resources will help Louisianians recover their financial losses.”
To access EIDL loans a business must be in a declared disaster area. Congressman Carter urged Governor Landry to issue a statewide disaster declaration in the crawfish aquaculture industry, including for businesses that service the industry and depend on the product the industry produces due to unprecedented drought. Governor Landry issued this disaster declaration at the beginning of March.
At the end of February, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. (D-La.) sent letters to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Small Business Administration (SBA) asking them to aid the crawfish aquaculture industry following devastation from extreme weather conditions. This includes a severe drought and a subsequent freeze that has wreaked havoc on Louisiana's agricultural landscape.
“The SBA's mission-driven team stands ready to help Louisiana small businesses affected by the drought and resulting crawfish shortage," said Administrator Guzman. “We’re committed to providing federal disaster loans swiftly and efficiently, with a customer-centric approach to help businesses and communities weather this environmental and economic challenge.”
Read the letters to the SBA and USDA here.
Read the letter to Governor Landry here.
Apply for SBA EIDL funding here.
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