Also, state Agriculture Director Richard Bell told the board that a plan to help the state’s dairy farmers “gives (farmers) hope,” but may be too little too late, writes Rob Moritz, Arkansas News Bureau.
According to the news organisation, Ted McNulty, head of the department’s aquaculture division, said $50 million has been set aside in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 for aquaculture and that a series of meetings will be held late this month or in early June to sign up Arkansas catfish farmers.
McNulty said catfish farmers, as well as baitfish growers, are eligible if their 2008 feed costs were at least 25 per cent of their total operating cost. They also are eligible if their feed costs are 25 percent above the average cost of feed from 2003-2007, he said.
Arkansas Catfish Farmers to Receive Stimulus
LITTLE ROCK Federal economic stimulus money will soon be available for struggling Arkansas catfish farmers, the state aquaculture director told the state Agriculture Department board Wednesday.
