USA: more subsidies, this time to shrimpers

I copy here a new release by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Texas Farm Service Agency on subsidies for U.S. shrimpers in the Gulf og Mexico region.

Deadline to apply for Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) for Shrimp - Dec. 23, 2010

(COLLEGE STATION, TX), December 16, 2010 - Juan M. Garcia, Executive Director of USDA's Texas Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds producers of the December 23, 2010 deadline to apply for the Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) program for 2008 shrimp.

Shrimp assistance is approved for Alabama, Alaska, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Texas.

"TAA provides technical training and financial benefits to eligible producers whose commodity, in this case shrimp, has been adversely impacted by foreign competition," said Garcia. "After the Dec. 23 deadline, no applications will be accepted as there are no late file provisions for TAA."

FSA County Offices will accept applications for 2008 shrimp through December 23, 2010. The application form is available at FSA offices or at: http://www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa/taaforms.asp.

For eligibility and application details, contact your local FSA office. Information is also available on the Foreign Agricultural Service Web site at www.fas.usda.gov/itp/taa.

 Note that the aid programme mentioned in the news release predates the "Deepwater Horizon" oil spill disaster. Also note that some shrimpres in the Gulf of Mexico could have received subsidies coming from anti-dumping duties imposed on imports of shrimp from a number of developing countries.