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Chief Visits Crawfish Farm in Louisiana
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Chief Lancaster prepares to exit the front
of a crawfish boat on the Durand Farm in south Louisiana after a
first-hand look at a crawfish pond and crawfish harvest operation
(from left) Daniel Durand, landowner; Don Gohmert, Louisiana NRCS State
Conservationist; Chief Lancaster; and Gregory Durand, landowner (NRCS photo
— click to enlarge) |
NRCS Chief Arlen Lancaster recently visited rice-crawfish farms in Louisiana
to evaluate habitat created for waterfowl. Since the Louisiana coastal marshes—traditional habitat for waterfowl and wading birds—have not fully recovered
from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, many of the birds have moved to rice-crawfish
farms located only a few miles from the coast. The waterfowl are generally not
welcome at the farms because they eat the rice and crawfish crop.
Louisiana Farm Bureau members invited Chief Lancaster to visit the Durand Farm
to see if Farm Bill conservation programs could offer incentives, rewards,
or payments to crawfish farmers to re-create the disappearing coastal habitat. Run by brothers, Jeff, Gregory, Conery, and
Daniel, the Durand farm has been selected as a model farm to demonstrate best
management practices to farmers.
Additionally, Jeff, Gregory, and Daniel have been recognized as Master Farmers by the
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Jeff is a member of both the
USA Rice Producers Conservation Committee and the St. Martin Soil and Water
Conservation District Board.
Your contact is Randolph Joseph, Lafayette NRCS Area II Conservationist, at 337-291-3050.
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