Shrimp International News February 23, 2007
United States - Texas-Bowers Shrimp Farm
On February 15, 2007, at its annual banquet, the Palacios Chamber of Commerce honored Bowers Shrimp Farm as the 2006 Palacios Business of the Year. Accepting the award, Harold Bowers, owner of the shrimp, catfish and redfish farm, gave credit to his wife, Cheryl, and children for the farm's success, joking, "When you have a big family, you learn to work hard."
Richard Rhoades, last year's winner who presented the award, said: "This year's Business of the Year began several years ago when the owner graduated from Palacios High School in 1958, and began farming 80 acres of rice with his father. He slowly built up his farming operation and by 1970 he was farming 450 acres with his uncle and purchased his first block of farmland. He grew crops typical to the area, including rice, milo, beans and cotton. In the early 1980s government programs began forcing farmers to use less land in their operations. He began to look for ways to diversify and discovered aquaculture. ...In 1989 three ponds were stocked with redfish and six ponds with shrimp. The redfish were killed in a hard winter freeze. The decision was made to expand the operation and raise more shrimp while still experimenting with fish production."
"In 1994 a plant was built to process and store the unique crop. Throughout the year the company employs approximately 50 people to operate the office, plant, and farms. During processing, the plant employs around 120 workers who grade, head and prepare the shrimp for market. In 1995, the decision was made to expand to Central America [Belize], where he could raise three shrimp crops a year and provide his customers with a continuous supply."
"This business currently raises 830 acres of shrimp on its three shrimp farms with a production of 4 million pounds of head-on shrimp expected this year."
Information: Harold Bowers, Bowers Shrimp Farm, Route #1, Box 534, Palacios, TX 77465 USA (phone 361-972-2414, fax 361-972-2422, email bowers@bowershrimp.com, webpage www.bowershrimp.com).
Sources: 1. The Bay City Tribune. Palacios honors man, woman, business (http://www.baycitytribune.com/story.lasso?ewcd=2ecc3199716c6891). Sarah Wells. February 18, 2007. 2. Palacios Beacon Online. CofC Award Banquet Honors Johnston, Johnson and Bowers Shrimp (http://www.palaciosbeacon.com/home/news.shtml#newsitem1172083816,97801). Richard Rhoades. February 21, 2007.