U.S. Agriculture Department approves trade help for Alabama shrimpers, denies Florida petition

U.S. Agriculture Department approves trade help for Alabama shrimpers, denies Florida petition    The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service has approved trade help for the shrimper members of the Organized Seafood Association of Alabama, but denied similar assistance for shrimpers of a Florida group.
   Foreign Agricultural Service determined that increased imports of farmed shrimp contributed to a decline in the landed prices of shrimp in Alabama by 20.5 percent during January-December 2002, when compared to the previous five-year average.
   Shrimpers of the Alabama association are now eligible to apply for trade adjustment assistance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency through April 12. After submitting their applications, producers will receive technical assistance provided by the Extension Service at no cost and an “adjustment assistance payment,” if certain criteria are met.
   Foreign Agricultural Service denied a similar application from the shrimpers of the Tallahassee, Fla.-based Southeastern Fisheries Association, citing that domestic producer prices for shrimp in this region did not decline at least 20 percent during January-December 2002 when compared to the five-year average.
   Producers wishing to learn more about the Foreign Agricultural Service program should contact Jean-Louis Pajot, coordinator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s trade adjustment assistance program, at (202) 720-2916 or by e-mail at trade.adjustment@fas.usda.gov.