Third Session of Online Oyster Culture Course is available NOW
September 23, 2021
This FREE course is designed for beginning oyster growers and those interested in the prospects of oyster culture in the Gulf of Mexico.
This FREE course is designed for beginning oyster growers and those interested in the prospects of oyster culture in the Gulf of Mexico.
Join AgriLogic Consulting to discuss the potential development of a pilot crop insurance program for shellfish growers.
The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP) can provide shellfish growers with catastrophic coverage for losses due to natural disasters. NAP is sold and serviced by your local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office.
The perpetual threat of hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico emphasizes the importance of business planning and storm preparedness as an essential part of any oyster culture operation. Growers who have developed storm plans have a better chance of minimizing losses, making sound decisions before a storm, and increasing chances for rapid recovery after the storm. Fact sheets are available which provide guidelines and suggested safety procedures in preparing for hurricane and tropical storm events. Each fact sheet focuses on storm plan development, pre-storm preparations, and post-storm recovery with specific information for different oyster culture methods (floating bags, floating cages,
This FREE course is designed for beginning oyster growers and those interested in the prospects of oyster culture in the Gulf of Mexico. The course covers basic information on how to get started to growing and harvesting your first crop of oysters. The second session, Meet the Gear Suppliers, provides information on 13 manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors of off-bottom culture gear. Learn about the various gear types and accessories available to culture oysters. If you are interested in enrolling, visit the course website: https://oyster-culture.teachable.com/. If you have any questions, please email Leslie Sturmer at LNST@ufl.edu.
This FREE course is designed for beginning oyster growers and those interested in the prospects of oyster culture in the Gulf of Mexico. The course covers basic information on how to get started to growing and harvesting your first crop of oysters. If you are interested in enrolling, visit the course website: https://oyster-culture.teachable.com/. If you have any questions, please email Leslie Sturmer at LNST@ufl.edu.
The USDA Agriculture Marketing Service has announced plans to include purchasing $5 million worth of farmed hard clams (processed-cooked, frozen, and packaged) for distribution to various food nutrition assistance programs. Purchases will be made with the purpose to encourage the continued domestic consumption of these products by diverting them from the normal channels of trade and commerce. In an effort to alleviate some of the oversupply of farmed clams and to avoid downward price pressure, the East Coast Shellfish Growers Association petitioned AMS to purchase clams to be handed out at food banks. This is the first such purchase AMS has
Like many others in agriculture and aquaculture, Florida’s shellfish aquaculture growers experienced sharp declines in sales revenues as a result of public health measures enacted to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. The UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program, in collaboration with UF/IFAS Shellfish Aquaculture Extension and FDACS Division of Aquaculture, estimates that the Florida shellfish aquaculture industry lost approximately $1.85 million in sales revenue from March to mid-May of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This new report details the data, methods, and results of the analysis of losses.
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is responsible for the delivery of federal farm programs to help farmers manage risks and recover from disasters. The Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program, or NAP, provides financial assistance to farmers of non-insurable crops to protect them against natural disasters that result in crop losses. The deadline to sign out for NAP coverage at your local FSA office for the 2021 crop year has been extended to September 30, 2020. Many offices are currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, so call or email first. NAP coverage is available for clam, oyster, and sunray venus crops.
A series of newly published fact sheets for the off-bottom oyster aquaculture industry in the Gulf of Mexico provides guidelines and suggested safety procedures for preparing for tropical storms and hurricanes. Florida Sea Grant, the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, and Louisiana Sea Grant developed the “Tropical storm and hurricane preparedness for off-bottom oyster aquaculture in the Gulf of Mexico” series to help oyster farmers reduce damages related to wind, storm surge and decreased salinity from flooding. There are six publications that focus on planning, preparation and recovery for different types of farms, facilities and equipment: Introductory Planning Guide Land-based Operations Guide Workboats
University of Florida | IFAS
Shellfish Aquaculture Research & Extension
11350 SW 153rd Court I P.O. Box 89
Cedar Key, FL 32625
Phone: (352) 543-5057
