“The catfish industry is vital to Alabama’s economy, and we are proud to be the #2 state, producing one-third of the world’s catfish.”
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) joined Senators Roger Wicker (R-MS), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Kennedy (R-LA), Katie Britt (R-AL), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tom Cotton (R-AK), Mike Braun (R-IN), John Boozman (R-AK), and Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), to introduce a Senate resolution to designate August 2023 as National CatfishMonth.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Alabama is ranked 2nd nationally in farm-raised catfish production behind its western neighbor, Mississippi. Alabama is home to approximately 66 farm-raised catfish farms, predominantly across the Black Belt Region, that encompass approximately 15,000 acres of surface water area. The catfish industry employs over 2,400 individuals and contributes nearly $92 million in economic value to our state. I am proud to join my colleagues again in recognizing the importance of the catfish industry to the United States’ economy and honoring our farmers working in catfish production, feed manufacturing, and processing.
“The catfish industry is vital to Alabama’s economy, and we are proud to be the #2 state, producing one-third of the world’s catfish,” said Senator Tuberville. “I’ve cooked and eaten a lot of catfish in my day, and even owned a catfish restaurant named Tubby’s Catfish in the 1980’s. I join my fellow Alabamians in honoring our hardworking catfish producers and processors to ensure the security of our food supply.”
The resolution recognizes the importance of U.S. catfish to our economy and praises catfish farmers and workers for their contributions to the industry.
The full text of the resolution can be found here or below:
Whereas the Catfish Institute recognizes August to be National Catfish Month;
Whereas the States of Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas recognize August to be National Catfish Month;
Whereas the States of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Tennessee embody the Channel Catfish as their State Fish;
Whereas the farm-raised catfish industry in the United States employs over 9,000 people and contributes almost $2,000,000,000 to the economy of the United States;
Whereas the United States has 55,855 surface water acres used for catfish production in 2023, and catfish growers in the United States had $447,039,000 in sales during 2022;
Whereas the average catfish farmer produces 6,800 pounds of catfish per acre;
Whereas 93 percent of all United States farm-raised catfish are grown in Alabama, Arkansas, California, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas;
Whereas catfish is the largest farm-raised seafood product, by weight, in the United States, representing more than 50 percent of the food fish produced by the United States aquaculture industry;
Whereas United States farm-raised catfish are consistently high quality and, unlike ocean-caught fish, are available all year long;
Whereas United States farm-raised catfish are a sustainable and environmentally friendly seafood product;
Whereas catfish is a lean fish and an excellent source of protein; and
Whereas catfish is a versatile fish in cuisine of the United States, with a myriad of regional and national recipes to be enjoyed by all people of the United States: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate—
(1) designates August 2023 as ‘‘National Catfish Month’’;
(2) recognizes the contributions of all workers, past and present, that produce, process, and provide catfish for the people of the United States; and
(3) recognizes that purchasing United States farm-raised catfish supports farmers, jobs, and the economy of the United States.
Senator Tommy Tuberville represents Alabama in the United States Senate and is a member of the Senate Armed Services, Agriculture, Veterans’ Affairs, and HELP Committees.
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