USDA-ARS, USDA-CSREES

Stakeholder Workshop

Chip Morgan, Exec. Vice PresidentDelta Council

*Broaden understanding of opportunities & problems facing aquaculture industry

*Role of research & education in global competitiveness*How to get research out to the field

Issues of Presentation:

AgricultureHighway Development

Flood Control

ISSUES OF ORIGIN

Founded 1935

The Delta

6.5 m total acres 200 miles long and 65 miles wide Gently slopes 1/2 foot per mile $1.3 billion in annual Ag production $400 million cotton production $140 million rice production $240 million catfish production $340 million soybean production $821.3m in manufacturing wages 28,286 jobs in manufacturing 41,000 jobs in farming & allied ag businesses

41% of land surface of U.S.,31 states & 2 provinces ofCanada

“Not everyone is lucky enough to live upstream.”

- Mark Twain

“Not everyone is lucky enough to live upstream.”

- Mark Twain

May 1991May 1991

School Bus

MS River Levee

MS River Levee

1997

• 621 well tested

• 600 wells with no detectable contaminant concentrations

• 21 wells with detectable contaminant concentrations

• Only 1 well found to contain contaminant concentrations exceeding safe levels established for drinking water by EPA (resampling of this well has indicated levels are now within safe drinking water standards)

Delta Wells Tested1988-2007

Delta Wells Tested1988-2007

Ten Year Average AnnualWater Level Change

October 1997 to October 2007

0.75

Avg Change (Ft)

-0.75

-1.50

0.00

Ten Year Average AnnualWater Level Change

October 1997 to October 2007

0.75

Avg Change (Ft)

-0.75

-1.50

0.00

Delta Water Level Change fromOctober 1997 to October 2007

Aquifer Declines

F C W I Federal Compress and

Warehouse, Inc.

PYCO Industries, Inc

The Contribution of Agriculture to the

Delta’s Economy

The Contribution of Agriculture to the

Delta’s Economy

Taxes paid to the Federal government

$447,000,000Taxes paid to the Federal government

$447,000,000Taxes paid to the Local/State government

$562,000,000Taxes paid to the Local/State government

$562,000,000

Number of Jobs

31,000Number of Jobs

31,000

Source: MSU

December 2009 Corn CBOT

2001-2006 Average $2.30/bu.

November 2009 Soybeans CBOT

2001-2006 Average $5.85/bu.

July 2009 Wheat CBOT

2001-2006 Average $3.47/bu.

2007 Monthly Prices of Catfish Price to Producer and Catfish Feed Price

0.60

0.65

0.70

0.75

0.80

0.85

0.90Ja

n

Feb

Mar

Ap

r

May

Jun

Jul

Au

g

Sep Oct

No

v

Dec

Cat

fish

Pri

ce,

$/lb

0.130

0.135

0.140

0.145

0.150

0.155

0.160

0.165

0.170

Fee

d P

rice

, $/

lb

Catfish price to producer Catfish feed price

Frozen U.S. Catfish v. Imported Catfish-like Fillet Sales in the U.S. 2000 - October 2007

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

Imports U.S.

Million lb

7%16%

8% 4% 8%

24%

64%80%

Less than 10% of U.S. market share for beef, poultry, eggs, hogs, and milk is imported, according to Mississippi State University sources.

02

Imported “Catfish” Frozen Fillets (million pounds)

03 04 05 06 07

20

40

60

80

100

01

Imported TilapiaFrozen Dressed and Fillets (million pounds)

02 03 04 05 06

100

200

300

400

•USDA-Agricultural Research Service

•MSU-Delta Research & Extension Center

•USDA-Forest Service (Center for Bottomland Hardwoods Research)

•Yazoo MS Delta Joint Water Management District

•USDA-Southern Regional Aquaculture Center

•USDA-Cochran National Warmwater Aquaculture Center

•USDA-Wildlife Services

•USDA-Weather Center

•Delta Council

•Delta Wildlife/Delta F.A.R.M.

STONEVILLE RESEARCH COMPLEX

STONEVILLE RESEARCH COMPLEXOver 125 State and Federal Research

Scientists and Extension Specialists Average Wage = 100K per year

350+ Support Personnel

Direct regional and state expenditures = $13.3 million

Annual Budget = $45.4 million

Annual Payroll = $18 million