Catfish farmers gathered in Demopolis Dec. 4 for the annual Catfish Industry Update Meeting.

 The Alabama Catfish Producers held elections for its state committee during the meeting. Brad Brady of Perry County, Bubba Drury of Hale County and Thed Spree of Greene County were elected to three-year terms. Willard Powe of Dallas County was selected as Alabama’s 2019 Catfish Farmer of the Year and will spend the next year promoting catfish at venues such as the Seafood Expo in Boston.

 Farmers heard from researchers at Auburn University’s School of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Aquatic Sciences, as well as U.S. Department of Agriculture agencies. Other speakers included Agriculture and Industries Commissioner-Elect Rick Pate and Jeremy Robbins from The Catfish Institute.

Farmers Sid Nelson, Mike Owens and Randy Hollingsworth received leadership awards during the meeting, and Bill Hemstreet, a longtime fish diagnostician at the Alabama Fish Farming Center, was honored for service to the industry.