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Updated November 22, 2023
Farm Bill Primer: USDA Support for Aquaculture Operations
Aquaculture facilities that grow aquatic animal and plant
USDA Aquaculture Support
species in controlled or selected environments (as defined
Federal authority supporting U.S. aquaculture is provided
as 7 U.S.C. §3103) are generally eligible for support from
through the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (NAA; P.L.
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) available to all
96-362; 16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.). The act directs the
U.S. farmers and ranchers and producers. In addition, the
Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, and the Interior to
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the farm bill; P.L.
establish and implement a National Aquaculture
115-334) reauthorized and expanded provisions specifically
Development Plan (NADP) to promote and support the
related to USDA’s aquaculture research and assistance
development of U.S. aquaculture. The act also directs
programs. Congress may consider these and other related
coordination among various federal agencies that have
provisions as it continues to debate the next farm bill.
aquaculture programs and policies. The Subcommittee on
Aquaculture (SCA) serves as the federal interagency
Overview of U.S. Aquaculture
coordinating group tasked with increasing the effectiveness
Aquaculture is defined in statute as “the propagation and
and productivity of federal aquaculture research, regulation,
rearing of aquacultural species, including, but not limited
technology transfer, and assistance programs, including the
to, any species of finfish, mollusk, or crustacean (or other
NADP. SCA is a statutory subcommittee that operates
aquatic invertebrate), amphibian, reptile, ornamental fish, or
under the Committee on Environment of the National
aquatic plant, in controlled or selected environments” (7
Science and Technology Council (NSTC) under the
U.S.C. §3103). In practice, aquaculture systems refer to the
President’s Office of Science and Technology Policy.
propagation, breeding, rearing, and harvesting of animal
and plant species using interventions such as seeding,
Figure 1. Aquaculture Sales by State, 2018
stocking, feeding, and protection from predators.
Aquaculture systems may be either land-based (e.g.,
aboveground tanks, enclosed structures, or artificial ponds)
or water-based (e.g., open sea cages, pens, or nets) in
freshwater or saltwater (marine) environments. Marine
aquaculture systems may take place in enclosures in the
ocean or other waterways or on land in tanks or ponds.
Aquaculture systems also include aquaponics that combine
growing fish and plant species without soil or external
fertilizer, using fish waste as a substitute for plant nutrient
supplementation while continually recirculating water
between the animal and plant growing systems. USDA
reports that, based on acreage in 2018, U.S. aquaculture
Source: USDA, Census of Agriculture Highlights, Aquaculture, ACH17-
facilities are roughly split between freshwater (both surface
13, 2019, https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/index.php.
and groundwater) and saltwater (ocean or estuary) systems.
Figure 2. Number of Farms and Product Type, 2018
USDA reports there were 2,932 aquaculture facilities
located in the United States with total farm-level sales of
$1.5 billion in 2018. Leading U.S. states with aquaculture
facilities, based on sales in 2018, were Mississippi ($216
million in sales), Washington ($208 million), Louisiana
($136 million), Virginia ($113 million), California ($106
million), Alabama ($95 million), and Hawaii ($78 million)
(Figure 1). According to USDA, aquaculture product types
include food fish (such as catfish and trout), mollusks
(oysters, clams, mussels), crustaceans (crawfish for food
and saltwater scrimp), ornamental fish (such as koi), sport
fish (bass and salmon), baitfish (such as fathead minnows),
Source: USDA, Census of Agriculture Highlights, Aquaculture, ACH17-
and other miscellaneous species (including algae, alligators,
13, 2019, https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/index.php.
caviar, eels, frogs, snails, tadpoles, and turtles) (Figure 2).
Note: Numbers shown in graph refers to the number of U.S. farms.
USDA assistance programs for aquaculture are contained
within the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Farm Bill Primer: USDA Support for Aquaculture Operations
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. §3324(a)(2) and
aquaculture in federal offshore waters in aquaculture
§3322), which were reauthorized in the 2018 farm bill (P.L.
opportunity areas; (2) a unified permitting and review
115-334, §§7510, 7133). The 2018 farm bill (§7614) also
process for aquaculture operations; (3) a grant program for
amended USDA’s Aquaculture Assistance Grant Program
research and development; and (4) an Office of Aquaculture
(7 U.S.C. §3322(b)), which is administered by USDA’s
within NOAA. Both H.R. 4013 and S. 1861 focus on efforts
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Under
involving NOAA only and not USDA; therefore, these
the program, NIFA may award competitive grants to land-
specific bill proposals may likely fall outside the
and sea grant colleges and universities, state agricultural
jurisdiction of a farm bill. However, Congress could
experiment stations, and nonprofit private research
consider tasking USDA with providing preliminary
institutions to conduct research and extension activities.
information or with playing an evaluative role to support
USDA aquaculture assistance activities include researching
these or related proposals, or other activities that encourage
and developing new aquaculture technologies; designing
improved coordination between USDA and NOAA.
systems that promote healthy growing environments;
Congress also could consider expanding existing
developing improved genetics and on-land recirculating
aquacultural research and development programs at USDA
systems; protecting aquatic animal health (including the
in ways that might support these efforts.
development of reliable supplies of seed stock and
therapeutic compounds); training and educating
aquacultural producers; facilitating or expanding production
and marketing; and educating consumers on the nutritional
benefits of farmed fish and seafood as well as the
sustainability of responsible aquaculture production.
Aquacultural producers are also eligible for other USDA
competitive grants available to all U.S. agricultural
producers. For example, the Local Agricultural Marketing
Program (LAMP; 7 U.S.C. §1627c), administered by
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), includes a
subprogram that provides grants to projects that develop,
coordinate, and expand local and regional food business
enterprises. A review of previously awarded LAMP grants
indicates a number of projects have been funded supporting
aquacultural marketing. Other support may be available
through other USDA programs. These include grants for
new and beginning farmers under the Farming
Opportunities Training and Outreach program (7 U.S.C.
§2279) as well as direct and guaranteed loans to family-
sized farmers under USDA farm loan programs.
Aside from USDA, the National Marine Fisheries Service
(NMFS) within the Department of Commerce’s National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
oversees and supports U.S. marine aquaculture (e.g., farmed
seafood including finfish and shellfish).
Farm Bill Considerations for Congress
In 2020, USDA hosted a colloquium Aquaculture is
Agriculture: USDA’s Role in Supporting the Farmers of
Fish, Shellfish, and Aquatic Plants. Proceedings from the
event summarize stakeholder recommendations for USDA
related to U.S. aquacultural production. Stakeholder
recommendations address research, animal health,
environmental management, wildlife interactions,
production innovation and technology, product and
consumer marketing, and USDA support for aquaculture.
The text box summarizes selected recommendations.
Congress could consider some of these colloquium
recommendations as it debates the next farm bill.
Congress might also consider aspects of legislation
introduced in the 118th Congress as part of the Advancing
the Quality and Understanding of American Aquaculture
Act or the AQUAA Act (H.R. 4013, S. 1861). These
proposals seek to establish (1) standards for sustainable
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Farm Bill Primer: USDA Support for Aquaculture Operations
Selected Stakeholder Recommendations from
Renée Johnson, Specialist in Agricultural Policy
2020 USDA Colloquium
IF12275
Aquaculture Production Research: Continue to support
aquaculture production research, including efforts to educate
consumers about the value of U.S. farm-raised seafood and
marine plants; use technology to reduce financial risks to farmers;
and reduce U.S. reliance on imports; and increase domestically
produced/processed species in the market.
Aquatic Animal Health: Develop a national plan to support
aquatic livestock health; address aquatic animal interstate and
international trade issues; adapt current federal programs to
cover diverse aquaculture species, production settings, and end
uses; address diagnostic assay issues; increase accessibility to
veterinarians knowledgeable in aquatic species; and develop and
approve vaccines/drugs while removing regulatory redundancies.
Environmental Management: Ensure USDA staff know that
aquaculture is eligible for farm programs; fill open extension
positions and support extension funding; strengthen col aboration
between USDA and NOAA’s Sea Grant Marine Extension
professionals; clarify USDA’s environmental management roles;
engage with the Environmental Protection Agency on water
quality/quantity regulations; conduct research and technology
transfer related to effluent reduction and treatment, water
quality/conservation, and alternative materials; develop lifecycle
analyses related to aquaculture’s environmental impacts; advocate
for aquaculture as a climate resilient approach to protein
production; and update the regulatory framework related to the
use of biotechnology for genetic improvement.
Aquaculture and Wildlife Interactions: Extend USDA
resources to conduct bird experiments on freshwater ponds to
include open-water shellfish farms.
Production Innovation and Technology: Expand USDA’s
production innovation and technology activities to address
automation, noninvasive sampling, genetic improvement, closing
lifecycles of nondomesticated species, and fish nutrition; and
expand USDA educational and extension activities.
Product and Consumer Marketing: Expand opportunities for
aquaculture items procured by USDA and explore options for
aquaculture within federal domestic nutrition programs; and
complete the development of organic production standards for
aquaculture products.
Supporting Aquaculture: Deliver programs that support
aquaculture and aquaponics; update and enhance USDA
insurance products for aquaculture producers; and educate
county, state, and national staff that “aquaculture is agriculture.”
Source: CRS from Aquaculture is Agriculture Colloquium: USDA’s
Role in Supporting Farmers of Fish, Shellfish, and Aquatic Plants, 2020,
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/aquaculture-
agriculture-col oquim.pdf.
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https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF12275 · VERSION 4 · UPDATED