The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service and Agricultural Experiment Station have been conducting research verification trials for major row crops since 1980. The yield verification programs are interdisciplinary management programs in which all recommended production technology is applied in a timely manner on a commercial scale. In May of 1993, a pilot catfish verification program was initiated by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension System to provide production support to the catfish industry. Extension Fisheries Specialists and aquaculture researchers of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) Aquaculture/Fisheries Center and district administrators of the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service designed the original program. The key components of the management protocol were: 1) moderate stocking rate of 6,000 to 6,500 head/acre (50-60 lb/1000 each) annually. 2) minimum requirement of 1hp/acre paddle-wheel aeration. 3) feeding twice/day at water temperatures between 22-32C. 4) multiple batch production scenario, harvesting when a minimum of 1,000 lb/acre reach 1.5 lb on the average, and 5) accurate record keeping. Initial funding was provided by the Catfish Farmers of Arkansas and the 1890 Cooperative Extension Program.

In 1997, new Catfish Yield Verifications programs were implemented on foodfish and fingerling production ponds in Poinsett, St. Francis and Desha counties, Arkansas.   Funding was provided by Southern Regional Aquaculture Center (SRAC).  

A University of Arkansas COOPERATIVE EXTENSION PROGRAM, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and County Governments Cooperating

Program funding provided in part by U.S.D.A. and SRAC.

A special thanks is extended to the Catfish Farmers of Arkansas for financially supporting this project. The authors would also like to acknowledge Dr. Craig Tucker and Dr. Ed Robinson for their contributions to the original recommendations for the verification. Also, this project would not have been possible without the cooperation and support of the following individuals:

Cooperating Catfish Producers

Baxter Land Company - Desha County
Mr. Jeff Baxter and Mr. Bill McCollum

Bill Teague - Poinsett County

Halley Farm - Chicot County
Mr. Rusty Moss and Mr. Johnny Conrad

United Farms, Inc. - St. Francis County
Mr. Peyton Upton and Mr. Joe McLemore

Participating County Agents

Mr. Carl Hayden - Staff Chairman, Chicot County
Mr. Keith Perkins - County Agent, St. Francis County
Ms. Cindy Ham - County Agent, St. Francis County
Mr. Mike Hamilton - County Agent, Poinsett County
Mr. Rick Thompson - Staff Chairman, Poinsett County
Mr. Les Walz - County Agent, Chicot County
Mrs. Rebecca Watson - County Agent, Desha County

Agricultural Experiment Station Faculty - UAPB

Carole R. Engle, Ph.D., Economics - Coordinator of Aquaculture/Fisheries Center
Sid Dasgupta, Ph.D., Economics
Nathan M. Stone, Ph.D., Aquaculture

Cooperative Extension Faculty - UAPB

Dr. Andrew Goodwin, Ph.D., Fish Pathologist
Mr. H. Steven Killian, Extension Fisheries Specialist
Hugh Thomforde, Ph.D., Extension Fisheries Specialist

Catfish Farmers of Arkansas

Mr. Van Pennington - Executive Director

Cooperative Extension Service

Mr. James Aikman, NE District Program Leader
Mrs. Brenda Henderson, S.E. District Program Leader
Tony E. Windham, Ph.D., Extension Economist - Management
Kelly J. Bryant, Ph.D., Farm Management, Cotton Economics