Aq 4 (2-07) Released February 21, 2007, by the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Agricultural Statistics Board, U.S. Department of Agriculture. For information on "Catfish Feed Deliveries" call Charles Butler at 601-965-4575, office hours 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. CT. NASS US Department of Agriculture Washington, D.C. January 2007 Catfish Feed Deliveries Down 15 Percent from Last Year Total catfish feed delivered in the United States during January 2007 was 4,748 tons, down 15 percent from January 2006 and 21 percent below the previous month. Foodsize catfish feed delivered totaled 4,488 tons, down 12 percent from the corresponding month a year ago. Feed delivered for fingerlings and broodfish totaled 260 tons, down 45 percent from the corresponding month a year ago. January feed delivered to Alabama catfish growers for foodsize fish totaled 2,023 tons, up 12 percent from last year and accounted for 45 percent of the total foodsize catfish feed delivered to U.S. farmers. The other major States with catfish feed deliveries for foodsize fish in January and their comparison to the previous year were: Mississippi with 1,033 tons, down 12 percent; Arkansas with 199 tons, down 53 percent; and Louisiana with 11 tons, down significantly. Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish, United States, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ Tons ------ Percent ------ Tons ------ Percent : Jan : 5,103 4,488 88 5,103 4,488 88 Feb : 3,970 9,073 Mar : 20,048 29,121 Apr : 52,246 81,367 May : 80,433 161,800 Jun : 112,326 274,126 Jul : 124,208 398,334 Aug : 139,191 537,525 Sep : 112,525 650,050 Oct : 54,011 704,061 Nov : 16,948 721,009 Dec : 5,829 726,838 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish, United States, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ Tons ----- Percent ------ Tons ----- Percent : Jan : 469 260 55 469 260 55 Feb : 367 836 Mar : 1,381 2,217 Apr : 2,200 4,417 May : 3,181 7,598 Jun : 6,265 13,863 Jul : 9,754 23,617 Aug : 11,611 35,228 Sep : 8,483 43,711 Oct : 3,642 47,353 Nov : 829 48,182 Dec : 172 48,354 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish, Alabama, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ Tons ------ Percent ------ Tons ------ Percent : Jan : 1,809 2,023 112 1,809 2,023 112 Feb : 1,529 3,338 Mar : 5,732 9,070 Apr : 12,758 21,828 May : 20,506 42,334 Jun : 29,580 71,914 Jul : 33,360 105,274 Aug : 36,392 141,666 Sep : 25,588 167,254 Oct : 12,181 179,435 Nov : 5,438 184,873 Dec : 2,085 186,958 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish, Alabama, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- Tons --- Percent ---- Tons --- Percent : Jan : * * * * * * Feb : * * Mar : * * Apr : * * May : * * Jun : * * Jul : * * Aug : * * Sep : * * Oct : * * Nov : * * Dec : * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Not published to avoid disclosure of individual operations. Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish, Arkansas, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ Tons ----- Percent ------ Tons ----- Percent : Jan : 422 199 47 422 199 47 Feb : 306 728 Mar : 2,794 3,522 Apr : 9,861 13,383 May : 14,552 27,935 Jun : 18,654 46,589 Jul : 20,193 66,782 Aug : 22,879 89,661 Sep : 20,138 109,799 Oct : 8,994 118,793 Nov : 1,233 120,026 Dec : 596 120,622 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish, Arkansas, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- Tons ---- Percent ----- Tons ---- Percent : Jan : 192 88 46 192 88 46 Feb : 172 364 Mar : 678 1,042 Apr : 821 1,863 May : 616 2,479 Jun : 715 3,194 Jul : 1,116 4,310 Aug : 1,503 5,813 Sep : 2,667 8,480 Oct : 680 9,160 Nov : 175 9,335 Dec : 102 9,437 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish, Louisiana, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- Tons ---- Percent ----- Tons ----- Percent : Jan : 283 11 4 283 11 4 Feb : 146 429 Mar : 929 1,358 Apr : 1,936 3,294 May : 2,821 6,115 Jun : 3,600 9,715 Jul : 3,652 13,367 Aug : 4,379 17,746 Sep : 3,918 21,664 Oct : 1,689 23,353 Nov : 633 23,986 Dec : 216 24,202 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish, Louisiana, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- Tons --- Percent ---- Tons --- Percent : Jan : Feb : Mar : Apr : 2 2 May : 2 Jun : 17 19 Jul : 3 22 Aug : 22 Sep : 12 34 Oct : 34 Nov : 34 Dec : 34 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish, Mississippi, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ------ Tons ------ Percent ------ Tons ------ Percent : Jan : 1,169 1,033 88 1,169 1,033 88 Feb : 773 1,942 Mar : 7,980 9,922 Apr : 24,335 34,257 May : 37,972 72,229 Jun : 54,484 126,713 Jul : 61,063 187,776 Aug : 67,741 255,517 Sep : 55,565 311,082 Oct : 25,533 336,615 Nov : 5,824 342,439 Dec : 1,177 343,616 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish, Mississippi, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- Tons ---- Percent ----- Tons ----- Percent : Jan : 191 66 35 191 66 35 Feb : 134 325 Mar : 505 830 Apr : 1,084 1,914 May : 2,305 4,219 Jun : 5,265 9,484 Jul : 8,319 17,803 Aug : 9,676 27,479 Sep : 5,442 32,921 Oct : 2,733 35,654 Nov : 612 36,266 Dec : 20 36,286 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish, Other States East of the Mississippi River, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- Tons ----- Percent ------ Tons ----- Percent : Jan : 554 568 103 554 568 103 Feb : 220 774 Mar : 776 1,550 Apr : 1,174 2,724 May : 1,878 4,602 Jun : 2,243 6,845 Jul : 2,564 9,409 Aug : 3,275 12,684 Sep : 2,929 15,613 Oct : 1,789 17,402 Nov : 893 18,295 Dec : 455 18,750 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish, Other States East of the Mississippi River, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- Tons --- Percent ---- Tons --- Percent : Jan : * * * * * * Feb : * * Mar : * * Apr : * * May : * * Jun : * * Jul : * * Aug : * * Sep : * * Oct : * * Nov : * * Dec : * * ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- * Not published to avoid disclosure of individual operations. Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Foodsize Fish, Other States West of the Mississippi River, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ----- Tons ----- Percent ------ Tons ----- Percent : Jan : 866 654 76 866 654 76 Feb : 996 1,862 Mar : 1,837 3,699 Apr : 2,182 5,881 May : 2,704 8,585 Jun : 3,765 12,350 Jul : 3,376 15,726 Aug : 4,525 20,251 Sep : 4,387 24,638 Oct : 3,825 28,463 Nov : 2,927 31,390 Dec : 1,300 32,690 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Catfish Feed: Tons Delivered For Fingerlings and Broodfish, Other States West of the Mississippi River, 2006-2007 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Month: By Month :Percent of : Cumulative :Percent of :-----------------------: Previous :-----------------------: Previous : 2006 : 2007 : Year : 2006 : 2007 : Year ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- : ---- Tons ---- Percent ----- Tons ---- Percent : Jan : 72 43 60 72 43 60 Feb : 27 99 Mar : 55 154 Apr : 130 284 May : 57 341 Jun : 163 504 Jul : 176 680 Aug : 232 912 Sep : 167 1,079 Oct : 136 1,215 Nov : 24 1,239 Dec : 31 1,270 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Reliability of Catfish Feed Deliveries Estimates Survey Procedures: All participating catfish feed mills are feed mills that produce and deliver catfish feed to bonafide catfish producers. Survey data for catfish feed are collected from feed mills by the USDA-NASS Mississippi Field Office, who is responsible for ensuring survey coverage is as complete as possible. Mills are contacted by either mail, telephone, fax, or internet. Diligent effort is made to ensure that all operations are accounted for in the estimate. Estimation Procedures: The "Catfish Feed Deliveries" report refers strictly to catfish feed delivered to bonafide catfish producers and excludes catfish feed delivered to producers of other species. The totals include both bagged and bulk feed. Prior to summarization, questionnaires are compared to previous reports for comparability. Estimates are made for feed mills whose reports are not available in time to be included in the release. Those plants are identified by an asterisk on page 11 of this release. Estimates are based on the mill's previous reports and current conditions. Published totals are a straight summation of the individual reports and estimated data. If a mill uses a fiscal accounting system, proration is used to convert reported data to a calendar month basis. Two unusual features of this report are worthy of note: (1) cooperating feed mills are listed by name, and (2) it is impossible for the public to infer the amount of catfish feed produced in each State. Since many mills deliver feed to more than one State and to growers of other species, any inferences about overall production per State or per mill are not valid. Revision Policy: Revisions may be necessary in the following month's publication pending a review of late reports received from mills. Revisions to previous estimates are made to improve month to month relationships. Estimates for the previous month are subject to revision in all States and regions monthly totals. In February, all monthly estimates for the previous year are reviewed and subject to revisions. The review is primarily based on data that may have been received after the original estimates were published. Reliability: Estimates are based on data from cooperating catfish feed mills, and therefore have no sampling variability. However, estimates may be subject to errors such as omissions, duplication, and mistakes in reporting, recording, and processing of the data. These errors are minimized through strict quality controls in the edit and summarization process, and a careful review of all reported data for consistency and reasonableness. Terms and Definitions Used for Catfish Feed Deliveries Estimates Broodfish - Fish kept for egg production, including males. Catfish Feed - For the purposes of this report catfish feed is defined as feed delivered to bonafide catfish producers. Thus, it is not the absolute total amount of feed produced or even sold by a mill. (Some catfish feed is sold to producers of other species of fish.) The definition includes medicated feed. Catfish feed is designed to float on the surface of the water. Catfish are fed this way from the moment they hatch. Therefore, they learn to go to the surface for feed. The result is a clean nutritious diet for American farm raised catfish. Catfish Feed for Foodsize Fish - Feed containing pellets larger than 1/8 of an inch. Catfish Feed for Fingerlings/Broodfish - Feed containing pellets 1/8 of an inch or smaller. Fingerlings - Smaller fish about 2 to 6 inches in length. Foodsize Fish - Fish being grown commercially for human consumption. Optimum sizes at harvest depend on the market but are generally no lower than 3/4 pound but near one pound. Data were compiled in cooperation with the following feed mills: Alabama Feed Mill LLC Land O Lakes Arkat Feeds Rangen Inc. Cargill Animal Nutrition Silver Cup Carolina Fish Feeds Southfresh Feeds Delta Western Star Milling Co. Fishbelt Feeds Inc Topwater Feed Mill Flint River Mills Inc ACCESS TO REPORTS!! For your convenience, there are several ways to obtain NASS reports, data products, and services: INTERNET ACCESS All NASS reports are available free of charge on the worldwide Internet. For access, connect to the Internet and go to the NASS Home Page at: www.nass.usda.gov. E-MAIL SUBSCRIPTION All NASS reports are available by subscription free of charge direct to your e-mail address. Starting with the NASS Home Page at www.nass.usda.gov, under the right navigation, Receive reports by Email, click on National or State. Follow the instructions on the screen. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - PRINTED REPORTS OR DATA PRODUCTS CALL OUR TOLL-FREE ORDER DESK: 800-999-6779 (U.S. and Canada) Other areas, please call 703-605-6220 FAX: 703-605-6900 (Visa, MasterCard, check, or money order acceptable for payment.) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ASSISTANCE For assistance with general agricultural statistics or further information about NASS or its products or services, contact the Agricultural Statistics Hotline at 800-727-9540, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. ET, or e-mail: nass@nass.usda.gov. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.