The late 1940's was the setting for the beginning of a new industry in Louisiana. The sale of baby pet turtles. This industry started with fewer than 10 men who would gather eggs and baby turtles from their natural habitats. These eggs were placed in sand boxes and then covered with burlap sacks. The eggs hatched in about 60 days and were sold to pet stores all over the US.

     In the early 70's some turtles were discovered to be carrying the Salmonella bacteria. The FDA deemed it necessary to place a ban on the sale of baby turtles with a carapace less than 4" in length here in the United States. The farmers began exporting their turtles to overseas markets, but the salmonella problem had still not been addressed. In the early 80's a group of farmers formed an association to deal with this and various other issues. This association, (now know as the Louisiana Turtle Farmer's Association, LTFA) asked the Louisiana State University Department of Microbiology for help. Dr. Ronald J. Siebeling began a research program and developed a way to successfully treat turtle eggs against the salmonella bacteria, now widely known as the the "Siebeling Method" of treating eggs.

     In the mid 80's the salmonella problem still persisted, (some of the farmers were still not using the Siebeling Method) and there were no laws or regulations requiring it's use. Some of the association members went to our state legislators and asked for help. Commissioner Bob Odom and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry agreed to require turtle farming to be a licensed and regulated industry (Act 770). All turtles produced on Louisiana farms are now required to be laboratory tested for any trace of the salmonella bacteria, before they can be sold.

     The industry has an ongoing research program at Louisiana State University. This research is funded by the LTFA, with matching funds from the state. We can now produce a salmonella free turtle using a chemical and not a drug. The Louisiana Turtle Farmers Association, Dr. Ron Siebeling, and Dr. Maxwell Lea,(LDA&F), met with FDA officials to present our research, and ask them to consider lifting the ban on the sale of turtles less than a 4" carapace here in the US.

     The turtle farming industry has had a great and positive economic impact on the State of Louisiana.