By Katherine Miller

STAFF WRITER

CROWLEY - Crawfish farmers in Louisiana are embracing a new federal program that will require certain products, including seafood, to be labeled with their country of origin.

Director of the Louisiana Crawfish Farmers Association, Stephen Minvielle, said farmers are in full support of the program, which will help consumers distinguish Louisiana-produced crawfish in grocery stores from crawfish produced in other countries, such as China.

Carl Hetzel, of Hetzel Crawfish Bayou Land Seafood LLC, stands in agreement with this new law.

“As a wholesale retailer, it will definitely be beneficial to all who have crawfish farms,” he said.

“The crawfish that we put on the market contains a certified Louisiana label. I know from experience that people are more likely to buy U.S. crawfish than Chinese, even though it is slightly more costly,” Hetzel added.

The program, to become effective March 16, will also cover such products as beef, pork, chicken and wild and farm-raised fish and shellfish.

Cattle producers in the United States have also pushed many years for this program to become effective, as it will require that commodities and cuts covered under it to be labeled at the point of retail sale with their country of origin. Also, the production method for fish and shellfish will have to be specified.