Crawfish farmers ask for sales tax exemption on feed, bait
Published 7:00 pm Thursday, January 17, 2019
JENNINGS — Crawfish farmers in Jeff Davis Parish are asking the Police Jury for a sales tax exemption on feed and bait purchased in the parish.
“We would like a level playing field so if at all possible we’d like to see the feed and bait tax removed from crawfish which will help us out,” local crawfish farmer Don Gauthier told police jurors Wednesday.
Speaking on behalf of the more than two dozen crawfish farmers at the meeting, Gauthier said Jeff Davis Parish is currently the only parish charging sales taxes for crawfish feed and bait purchased locally.
Crawfish farmers currently pay 2-5 percent on feed and bait in Jeff Davis Parish, but can get the items tax exempt in neighboring parishes, he said.
“I went and surveyed every parish that touches Jeff Davis Parish and there’s not a one of them that charges taxes on crawfish feed and bait to their customers,” Gauthier said.
Act 455 passed by the Louisiana Legislature in 2009 providing for a sales tax exemption on bait, feed and supplies used in the production and harvesting of crawfish.
The Police Jury is expected to ratify the request at its regular meeting at 5 p.m. Jan. 23.
Police Juror John Marceaux said the School Board is expected to follow the Police Jury’s lead and adopt a similar sales tax exemption to help the crawfish farmers.
Danny Willis, manager of the Thornwell Warehouse which has been in operation for 105 years, said the way crawfish is being handled now impacts his business.
“Crawfish bait is a big part of the retail business at the Thornwell Warehouse,” Willis said. “When we sell bait to one of these farmers and he is at the warehouse he tends to pick up other items related to crawfish. He picks up tires, batteries, boots, rain suits, tarps, overflows, gloves, shovels, sacks, fuel and shells which are all taxable products in this parish.”
As a small co-op, the warehouse cannot afford to lose the bait or supply business to retailers outside the parish not charging taxes, Willis said.
“A level playing field is something that as a warehouse we need to be on the same page as our competitors,” he said.
The warehouse expects to have the same or more business this coming crawfish season, he said.
Gauthier said crawfish farmers have been trying to get the sales tax exemption approved for years, but nothing has ever been done.
