Louisiana

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture says agency focused on Louisiana crawfish labor shortage

Published

4 months ago

March 12, 2026

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture says agency focused on Louisiana crawfish labor shortage

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – It’s no secret that American farmers, including crawfish farmers like David Savoy, rely on migrant labor.

“Our main concern is labor. We don’t have the labor anymore,” said David Savoy, a crawfish farmer for over two decades and president of the Louisiana Promotion and Research Board.

When we visited Savoy’s crawfish farm in Richard, Louisiana, back in January, it was early in the crawfish season. Now, closer to the season’s peak, producers have to process their catch. For that, they need foreign labor secured through the H-2B visa program, but those producers are struggling to bring in migrant workers this year.

USDA secretary says administration working to ease farm labor restrictions for Louisiana crawfish, shrimp industries

“In the state, our 20 major processors employ anywhere from 40 to 150 people. Only 15 of the 20 processors so far have gotten any labor,” said Mike Strain, commissioner of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry.

Commissioner Mike Strain said the state needs about 2,000 H-2B workers. Strain says last year’s federal government shutdown delayed work visa applications. On top of that, the program is capped, allowing domestic workers to apply. The visa limit for the first half of this year has already been reached, and Strain says if the cap isn’t lifted, Louisiana’s crawfish industry could be in trouble.

“If we don’t get these workers in, the bottom line the farmers will lose in excess of $120 million to $125 million,” said Commissioner Strain.

“We’re working to make a very quick change, as quickly as we can to basically open up the market so these labor questions can be resolved. There’s a question of how expensive it is and we’re working to bring the cost down for farmers, but just getting the labor, we’re really singularly focused on this labor issue,” said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

MORE: Louisiana crawfish industry faces worker shortage after DHS caps seasonal visas

On Thursday, Secretary Rollins came to Fox 8’s studios to discuss the labor shortage. When asked if the Trump administration will lift or raise the cap for H-2B visas, Secretary Rollins said that is a decision the White House cannot make.

“So the administration cannot remove the cap. That’s a Congressionally authorized statute, so the Congress has to do that. What we can do and what we’re looking to do is changing some of the rules within that to perhaps allow other programs that these farmers can apply for that are outside of the current restricted cap,” Secretary Rollins said.

With just weeks left in crawfish season, a multimillion-dollar industry hopes that help arrives in time.

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Louisiana

Meta’s Louisiana Data Center to Surpass $250 Billion Price Tag

Published

37 minutes ago

July 13, 2026

Press Room

Meta’s Louisiana Data Center to Surpass 0 Billion Price Tag

Meta Platforms Inc. has committed to spending an additional $40 billion on its sprawling data center campus in Louisiana, pushing its total expected investment beyond $250 billion for the site as it continues to grow its artificial intelligence computing footprint.

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Louisiana

DeRidder man found dead in Sabine River

Published

13 hours ago

July 12, 2026

Press Room

NEWTON COUNTY, Texas. (KPLC) – A DeRidder man reported missing was found dead in the Sabine River Sunday morning, according to the Newton County Sheriff’s Office.

Newton County Sheriff Colton Havard said Jordan Jamal Allen was located around 7:50 a.m. on July 12 with help from Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens, the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office, and 409 Search and Rescue.

Authorities say the body was recovered not far from where Allen went under Friday night near the U.S. 190 bridge east of Bon Wier at the Texas-Louisiana state line.

The sheriff said that Allen and a woman were said to be wading across the river Friday when the current began pulling the woman.

The sheriff said Allen tried to help her, but went under around 8:45 p.m. and wasn’t seen again. He said the woman made it back to land safely.

We will have more in this story as it develops.

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Louisiana

Check out the Outdoors calendar for fishing events

Published

23 hours ago

July 12, 2026

Press Room

Check out the Outdoors calendar for fishing events

MONDAY

RED STICK FLY FISHERS PROGRAM: 7 p.m., Bluebonnet Regional Library, 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. Open to the public. Email Brian Roberts: roberts.brian84@gmail.com. Website: rsff.org

WEDNESDAY

FLIES & FLIGHTS: 7-9 p.m, Rally Cap Brewing, 11212 Pennywood Ave., Baton Rouge. Casual fly tying. Open to public. Email Chris Williams: thefatfingeredflytyer@gmail.com

THURSDAY

ACADIANA FLY RODDERS PROGRAM: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Open to public. Email Darin Lee: at cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: acadianaflyrodders.org

FRIENDS OF NRA/SOUTHWEST LA BANQUET: 6 p.m., Riverside Bar & Grill, 3748 Louisiana 3059, Lake Charles. Call Brack Cole 337-912-1620. Email: jbcoleair@yahoo.com

ONGOING

STATEWIDE TOURNAMENT & ANGLERS RODEO/S.T.A.R.: Through Sept. 7, Coastal Conservation Association’s summer-long fishing event. Tagged redfish, coastal/offshore species categories & youth division. CCA membership required. Website: ccalouisiana.com/star

LOTTERY HUNTS

DOVE/TEAL: July 27 application deadline for dove hunt on Elbow Slough Wildlife Management Area and teal hunt on White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area. Website applications only on Wildlife & Fisheries/Louisiana Outdoors License, Permits and Tags webpage. Fee $8.50. Details: dove hunt, David Hayden at dhayden@wlf.la.gov; teal hunt, Lance Ardoin at lardoin@wlf.la.gov

AROUND THE CORNER

JULY 21 — LAFAYETTE KAYAK FISHING CLUB MEETING: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Call 337-232-5854. Website: lafayettekayakfishing.com

JULY 21-22 — GULF COUNCIL SHRIMP COMMITTEE MEETING: Gulf Council office, 4107 W. Spruce St., Tampa, Florida. In conjunction with Scientific and Statistical committees. Website: gulfcouncil.org

JULY 23 — ACADIANA BUGS & BREWS: 6 p.m., Pack and Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Casual fly tying and local beers provided. Open to the public. Email Darin Lee: cbrsandcdc@gmail.com. Website: packpaddle.com

JULY 23-25 — International Grand Isle Tarpon Rodeo, Grand Isle Marina & Otto Candies Pavilion, Grand Isle. Website: tarponrodeo.org

JULY 24-25—BASSMASTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIP: Kentucky Lake, Paris, Tennessee. Website: bassmaster.com

JULY 26 — SOUTH LOUISIANA HIGHPOWER CLUB MATCH: 8:30 a.m., Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Range, St. Landry Road, Gonzales. NRA XTC & F-Class match rifle or service rifle, 200-yard/50-rounds match course. Fee $15 members, $20 nonmembers, $5 juniors. $25 annual club (first match free) and Civilian Marksmanship Program membership (allows purchases from CMP). Call Mike Burke, 337-380-8120. Email: SouthLAHighPower@hotmail.com

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Spring inshore season closed except for Breton/Chandeleur sounds; all outside waters open.

OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Private recreational red snapper; gray triggerfish; flounder; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers and wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath and Nassau groupers in state/federal waters.

CLOSED SEASONS: Greater amberjack; bluefin tuna; gag, goliath and Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack season closed.