Arizona shrimp farmers recertified for federal aid

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service recertified a petition for shrimp producers in Arizona under the Trade Adjustment Assistance for farmers program. The producers may apply for TAA benefits through July 11.

Under the TAA program, USDA provides technical assistance and cash benefits to farmers and certain fishermen if increasing imports of a like or directly competitive commodity contributed importantly to a decline in producer prices and a loss of net farm or fishing income.

An investigation by the FAS determined increasing imports of frozen and fresh whole shrimp contributed importantly to a decline in producer prices of shrimp in Arizona during 2003 when compared to 1997-2002. Arizona shrimp are produced in man-made ponds with water coming from underground aquifers.

TAA benefits will include technical instruction to enhance farming income. Financial payments will be made to applicants who complete their technical training by September 30 and satisfy certain income criteria. Producers receiving TAA payments may also apply to the Department of Labor for job retraining.

To apply, obtain form FSA-229 on the Internet at http://forms.sc.egov.usda.gov/forms/mainservlet or from the local Farm Service Agency service center. General information about the program can be viewed at www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa/taa.asp .

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