Sea Grant Illinois-Indiana

Description:

Structural changes in Midwest agriculture over the past two decades have resulted in a number of empty and unused farm buildings. Farmers therefore have been exploring alternative uses of livestock farm buildings for the production of other cash crops, including aquaculture products. In Indiana, Pacific White shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) production has attracted interest, and a number of small producers are investing in shrimp produc- tion in their farm buildings and other farm facilities. The producers are motivated by the fact that they could produce and market fresh (never frozen) high-quality shrimp products in these systems to compete with imported frozen shrimp.