year's season, months of high temperatures and# dry conditions have devastated crawfish farms.
Geoff Bennett spoke yesterday with one of our# communities correspondents about the impact.
GEOFF BENNETT: Nearly 80 percent of Louisiana# remains in a severe drought, which will lead## to fewer crawfish and higher prices for the# state's multimillion-dollar crawfish industry.
Our communities correspondent, Roby Chavez,## has been talking to farmers and# joins So, Roby, quantify the impact for us.# How significant is this expected t ROBY CHAVEZ: Well, Geoff, look, for now# it's a waiting game.
We're all waiting for## those tiny crustaceans to emerge from their# underground burrows, but it has Some have dug down way too deep, waiting,# looking for moisture.
Others have had the## tunnels collapse on them.
And,in the meantime,# the rice fields where they grow and they thrive,## where they feed on, have been damaged as well.# The crawfish is a staple of Louisiana cuisine,## as you know.
But this year, there is# worry on crawfish farms across the state.
The problem, mudbugs, as they are sometimes# called, they don't have enough water to## grow and thrive, and temperatures have# been way too hot.
Predictions are that## crawfish farmers could lose nearly $140# million.
Drought stress will impact all## of the state's 1,600 farmers and a third of# the state's 250,000 acres of crawfish ponds.
Now, the culprit, rainfall in Louisiana has been# down nearly 44 percent, and temperatures rose## three degrees from May through October compared to# the four-year average.
As a result, there is some## concern in the crawfish capital of the world that# they will take a significant financial hit, Geoff.
GEOFF BENNETT: And the peak season, as# I understand it, runs from march to May,## so time is clearly running out.# How are farmers there coping?
ROBY CHAVEZ: Well, look, we spoke# with a fifth-generation farmer who's## been hauling crawfish out of the pond# since he was in hi remember anything like this for the last 30 years.
Josh Trahan says he normally will farm 800 acres# on his land.
He's already lo he says the financial losses started to# add up even before the season started.
JOSH TRAHAN, Crawfish Farmer: In the past,# without a crawfish, we couldn't survive.## Crawfish was our backbone.
The crawfish# kept us floating, kept the cash flow going Without a crawfish income this# year, it's going to be a struggle,## unless we get some kind of# financial help down the road.
GEOFF BENNETT: And, look, Roby, you could argue# that crawfish are Loui this country.
How does the shortage affect the# community and the culture across Louisiana?
ROBY CHAVEZ: Look, Geoff, in the short term,# it's hard to imagine a spring without crawfish,## but that looks like where# we're heading at this point.
As you know, right after Christmas, people# start planting these trad boils that start at Carnival.
It# lasts all the way through Easter## and even beyond.
We got a glimpse of# what it would look like without thes crawfish gatherings during the pandemic,# when the social gatherings were halted.
Many people, including a lot of the farmers,# worry that this problem will also open the door## to cheap imports.
With nearly eight inches of rain# in December, Trahan and other farmers are hopeful,## but they say it may be too little, too# late.
They're not seeing the new hatches,## nor are they seeing the so-called mamas with# eggs attached under the tail of the crawfish.
Trahan says, this time of year, he'd be# pulling in 60 sacks a day from his 3,000 traps,## but he says he's lucky if he gets five# pounds.
The crawfish are just not there.
JOSH TRAHAN: We lost 35, 40 percent of# our population due to the heat of the## water we had this summer.
I'm very worried,# because I rely on this.
This is my living.
ROBY CHAVEZ: Farmers argue that, if# their crops continue to be impacted## by the changing climate patterns, they# may need more protection similar to those given to corn# farmers and wheat farmers -- Geoff.
GEOFF BENNETT: Communities# correspondent Roby Chavez.
Roby, thanks so much.
ROBY CHAVEZ: Thank AMNA NAWAZ: And you can read