Courtesy of NAA:

Congressman Barry Moore (AL-2) is introducing HR 1020, Bringing Aquaculture Indemnities to Speed Act, short titled the BAITS Act.  The National Aquaculture Association recommends members and non-members contact their House representative to co-sponsor or support this legislation.

Background:
Risk management tactics and safety nets are cornerstone to domestic agriculture. The option to protect yourself and operation from unavoidable loss is broadly, but not wholly, enjoyed by many producers. Farm-raised fish producers suffer considerable death loss without triggering a disaster payment and should have options to recoup their assets without experiencing total, disastrous loss.

Farm-raised producers cite uninsured death loss via avian depredation as a major driver of both profit and stock loss. As U.S. Department of Agriculture programming exists now, farm-raised fish producers do not have sufficient programmatic support to manage this risk.

Currently, the United States ranks eighth in the world for aquatic commodity production. To grow this industry, produce affordable protein, and provide farm-raised fish producers with the same risk management mechanisms mainstream commodities enjoy, amendments to existing USDA programs are in order.

Proposal:
The Livestock Indemnity Program is a USDA Farm Service Agency disaster assistance program designed to protect livestock producers from losses due to an eligible adverse weather event, disease or attack in excess of normal mortality. The focus of this legislation revolves around the latter loss conditions: eligible disease and attack scenarios.

• Eligible disease claims can be filed if livestock contracts a disease transmitted by vectors in excess of normal mortality rates. Avian predators, usually Federally protected migratory birds, are oftentimes the perpetuators of these transmissions.
• Eligible attack claims can be filed if livestock is attacked in excess of normal mortality by animals which were reintroduced by the Federal government or are federally protected. Avian predators are specifically included in this programming.

Adding farm-raised fish as an eligible species under LIP gives producers the ability to protect themselves against eligible loss conditions via disease transmission and avian depredation.

If you or your House member want more information or to join as a co-sponsor, contact Samantha “Sam” Barnett
Legislative Assistant, Congressman Barry Moore, at Samantha.Barnett@mail.house.gov.