State Legislatures Magazine: October/November 2000
Editor's Note: This article appeared in the October/November issue of NCSL's magazine, State Legislatures. To order copies or to subscribe, contact the marketing department at (303) 364-7700.
On First Reading
Alligators in West Virginia?
What do dead chickens and hungry alligators have in common?
Well, at least in West Virginia, both may become lucrative.
The West Virginia Legislature gave the state Department of Agriculture $60,000 this spring to develop an experimental alligator farm in the Eastern Panhandle of the state-near the area's largest cluster of poultry farms.
Since the large, scaly reptiles relish chickens and avian parts, they can help dispose of the dead ones. Add to this that alligator skins bring in revenue. The skin from a four-foot alligator is worth between $75 and $80, although it takes about 18 months for a 'gator to grow to that size. The 65 alligator farms in Louisiana produce about 200,000 hides a year.
The giant lizards also produce a bland, white meat considered a delicacy that can bring from $5.50 to $6 a pound, according to alligator specialist Mark Shirley.
Delegate Harold Michael, chairman of the finance committee, was a legislative supporter of the pilot program. He represents an area that has a number of large poultry farms. "I certainly support the idea. We're always looking for innovative ways to solve the problems associated with farm operations, whether it's livestock or poultry."
At the moment, dead chickens in the area where the farm is planned are put through a processing machine that uses microbes to break the carcasses down into fertilizer. Although the machine is useful, points out Agriculture Commissioner Gus Douglass, it doesn't bring in the potential revenue alligator farming will.
"It's a project we need to get started on right away," he said.
©2000, National Conference of State Legislatures. All rights reserved.
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