Crawfish Industry Feeling the Squeeze

From the backroads of the Gulf Coast to seafood markets across the Southeast, crawfish is more than a meal, it is a livelihood under pressure. A new report from the American Farm Bureau Federation highlights mounting challenges that could reshape the industry.

Prices have barely moved in a decade, but production costs have climbed roughly 40 percent, leaving many producers operating at a loss. Add to that a labor crunch. Changes to the H-2B visa program in 2026 could eliminate workers needed to process about 40 percent of the crop, putting a major share of production at risk.

Imports are another concern. After antidumping duties were removed, foreign crawfish prices dropped sharply, undercutting domestic producers and pushing prices below breakeven levels. On top of that, drought and heat reduced yields by more than 37 percent in 2024 alone.

Even outside the largest producing state, these pressures ripple across Southern agriculture and seafood markets.

For a deeper dive, visit https://www.fb.org/market-intel/u-s-crawfish-farmers-face-strong-headwinds