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Farm Bill Primer: USDA Support for Aquaculture Operations
Aquaculture facilities that grow aquatic animal and plant
and other miscellaneous species (including algae, alligators,
species in controlled or selected environments (as defined
caviar, eels, frogs, snails, tadpoles, and turtles) (Figure 2).
as 7 U.S.C. §3103) are generally eligible for support from
the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) available to all
USDA Aquaculture Support
U.S. farmers and ranchers and producers. In addition, the
Federal authority supporting U.S. aquaculture is provided
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (the farm bill; P.L.
through the National Aquaculture Act of 1980 (NAA; P.L.
115-334) reauthorized and expanded provisions specifically
96-362; 16 U.S.C. 2801 et seq.). The act directs the
related to USDA’s aquaculture research and assistance
Secretaries of Agriculture, Commerce, and the Interior to
programs. Congress may consider these and other related
establish and implement a National Aquaculture
provisions as it continues to debate the next farm bill.
Development Plan (NADP) to promote and support the
development of U.S. aquaculture. The act also directs
Overview of U.S. Aquaculture
coordination among various federal agencies that have
Aquaculture is defined in statute as “the propagation and
aquaculture programs and policies. The Subcommittee on
rearing of aquacultural species, including, but not limited
Aquaculture (SCA) serves as the federal interagency
to, any species of finfish, mollusk, or crustacean (or other
coordinating group tasked with increasing the effectiveness
aquatic invertebrate), amphibian, reptile, ornamental fish, or
and productivity of federal aquaculture research, regulation,
aquatic plant, in controlled or selected environments” (7
technology transfer, and assistance programs, including the
U.S.C. §3103). Aquaculture is also defined in statute to
NADP. SCA is a statutory subcommittee that operates
mean the “propagation and rearing of aquatic species in
under the Committee on Environment of the National
controlled or selected environments, including, but not
Science and Technology Council (NSTC) under the
limited to, ocean ranching” and includes certain exceptions
President’s Office of Science and Technology Policy.
(16 U.S.C. 2802). In practice, aquaculture systems refer to
the propagation, breeding, rearing, and harvesting of animal
Figure 1. Aquaculture Sales by State, 2018
and plant species using interventions such as seeding,
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
Source: USDA, Census of Agriculture Highlights, Aquaculture, ACH17-
reports that, based on acreage in 2018, U.S. aquaculture
13, 2019, https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/index.php.
facilities are roughly split between freshwater (both surface
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
Source: USDA, Census of Agriculture Highlights, Aquaculture, ACH17-
fish (bass and salmon), baitfish (such as fathead minnows),
13, 2019, https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/Highlights/index.php.
Note: Numbers shown in graph refers to the number of U.S. farms.
https://crsreports.congress.gov
Farm Bill Primer: USDA Support for Aquaculture Operations
USDA assistance programs for aquaculture are contained
USDA, while H.R. 3542/S. 2619 would increase available
within the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and
funding at USDA for aquaculture research. H.R. 4127/S.
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. §3324(a)(2) and
2704 would relax certain adjusted gross income limitations
§3322), which were reauthorized in the 2018 farm bill (P.L.
and thus enable some aquaculture operations to benefit
115-334, §§7510, 7133). The 2018 farm bill (§7614) also
from USDA disaster assistance programs. H.R. 4013/S.
amended USDA’s Aquaculture Assistance Grant Program
1861, for example, would primarily focus on efforts
(7 U.S.C. §3322(b)), which is administered by USDA’s
involving NOAA only and not USDA and may fall outside
National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Under
the jurisdiction of a farm bill. However, Congress could
the program, NIFA may award competitive grants to land-
consider tasking USDA with providing preliminary
and sea grant colleges and universities, state agricultural
information or with playing an evaluative role to support
experiment stations, and nonprofit private research
these or related proposals, or other activities that encourage
institutions to conduct research and extension activities.
improved coordination between USDA and NOAA.
USDA aquaculture assistance activities include researching
and developing new aquaculture technologies; designing
Selected Stakeholder Recommendations from
systems that promote healthy growing environments;
2020 USDA Colloquium
developing improved genetics and on-land recirculating
Aquaculture Production Research: Continue to support
systems; protecting aquatic animal health (including the
aquaculture production research, including efforts to educate
development of reliable supplies of seed stock and
consumers about the value of U.S. farm-raised seafood and
therapeutic compounds); training and educating
marine plants; use technology to reduce financial risks to farmers;
aquacultural producers; facilitating or expanding production
and reduce U.S. reliance on imports; and increase domestically
and marketing; and educating consumers on the nutritional
produced/processed species in the market.
benefits of farmed fish and seafood as well as the
Aquatic Animal Health: Develop a national plan to support
sustainability of responsible aquaculture production.
aquatic livestock health; address aquatic animal interstate and
international trade issues; adapt current federal programs to
Aquacultural producers are also eligible for other USDA
cover diverse aquaculture species, production settings, and end
competitive grants available to all U.S. agricultural
uses; address diagnostic assay issues; increase accessibility to
producers. For example, the Local Agricultural Marketing
veterinarians knowledgeable in aquatic species; and develop and
Program (LAMP; 7 U.S.C. §1627c), administered by
approve vaccines/drugs while removing regulatory redundancies.
USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), includes a
Environmental Management: Ensure USDA staff know that
subprogram that provides grants to projects that develop,
aquaculture is eligible for farm programs; fill open extension
coordinate, and expand local and regional food business
positions and support extension funding; strengthen col aboration
enterprises. A review of previously awarded LAMP grants
between USDA and NOAA’s Sea Grant Marine Extension
professionals; clarify USDA’s environmental management roles;
indicates a number of projects have been funded supporting
engage with the Environmental Protection Agency on water
aquacultural marketing. Other support may be available
quality/quantity regulations; conduct research and technology
through other USDA programs. These include grants for
transfer related to effluent reduction and treatment, water
new and beginning farmers under the Farming
quality/conservation, and alternative materials; develop lifecycle
Opportunities Training and Outreach program (7 U.S.C.
analyses related to aquaculture’s environmental impacts; advocate
§2279) as well as direct and guaranteed loans to family-
for aquaculture as a climate resilient approach to protein
sized farmers under USDA farm loan programs.
production; and update the regulatory framework related to the
use of biotechnology for genetic improvement.
Aside from USDA, the National Marine Fisheries Service
Aquaculture and Wildlife Interactions: Extend USDA
(NMFS) within the Department of Commerce’s National
resources to conduct bird experiments on freshwater ponds to
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
include open-water shellfish farms.
oversees and supports U.S. marine aquaculture (e.g., farmed
Production Innovation and Technology: Expand USDA’s
seafood including finfish and shellfish).
production innovation and technology activities to address
automation, noninvasive sampling, genetic improvement, closing
Farm Bill Considerations for Congress
lifecycles of nondomesticated species, and fish nutrition; and
In 2020, USDA hosted a colloquium Aquaculture is
expand USDA educational and extension activities.
Agriculture: USDA’s Role in Supporting the Farmers of
Product and Consumer Marketing: Expand opportunities for
Fish, Shellfish, and Aquatic Plants. Proceedings from the
aquaculture items procured by USDA and explore options for
event summarize stakeholder recommendations for USDA
aquaculture within federal domestic nutrition programs; and
complete the development of organic production standards for
related to U.S. aquacultural production. Stakeholder
aquaculture products.
recommendations address research, animal health,
environmental management, wildlife interactions,
Supporting Aquaculture: Deliver programs that support
aquaculture and aquaponics; update and enhance USDA
production innovation and technology, product and
insurance products for aquaculture producers; and educate
consumer marketing, and USDA support for aquaculture.
county, state, and national staff that “aquaculture is agriculture.”
The text box summarizes selected recommendations.
Congress could consider some of these colloquium
Source: CRS from Aquaculture is Agriculture Colloquium: USDA’s
recommendations as it debates the next farm bill.
Role in Supporting Farmers of Fish, Shellfish, and Aquatic Plants, 2020,
https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/aquaculture-
Congress might also consider aspects of legislation
agriculture-col oquim.pdf.
introduced in the 118th Congress. For example, H.R.
3951/S. 2211 seeks to create an Office of Aquaculture at
Renée Johnson, Specialist in Agricultural Policy
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Farm Bill Primer: USDA Support for Aquaculture Operations
IF12275
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