Catfish assessment refund deadline nears

Catfish farmers seeking a full or partial refund for assessments charged between July 1, 2002, and Dec. 31, 2005, have until March 31 to apply.

State Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Bob Odom said more than $120,000 is available to be refunded to eligible farmers.

After the state catfish industry voted by referendum to discontinue collecting assessments in the summer of 2005, the Louisiana Catfish Promotion and Research Board decided in December 2006 to return a portion of the catfish feed assessments previously collected back to the farmers.

The LDAF and Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation are distributing the refunds, Odom said.

“All of the pertinent information is available on the department’s Web site, including the application and IRS W-9 form,” he said. “It’s important that our eligible catfish farmers take a minute to read through the information carefully before submitting their applications.”

A signed and dated IRS W-9 form should accompany all submitted applications, he said.

For more information, contact Roy Johnson at (225) 922-1280. The application and IRS form are available online at www.ldaf.state.la.us.