Same planet, different world, that certainly seems to be the case when you compare Louisiana to other parts of the country. Lawmakers in California passed legislation about six years ago that's set to take effect with the coming of the new year. That legislation bans transactions involving one of Louisiana's most widely recognized products, Alligator.

Just for clarification, when the law was passed by legislators in the Golden State, Louisiana's alligator industry wasn't doing so well. But, through conservation efforts, the state's 'gator population is once again thriving so the elimination of a marketplace the size of California is quite a concern.

That's why Attorney General Jeff Landry has announced plans to file a lawsuit that would block California's ban on alligator products. General Landry said he notified California's Attorney General of his intentions early this month.

You might be wondering why would Louisiana go through all the legal hoops just to help out one particular industry. Well, the industry is very important to Louisiana for a number of reasons. Retail sales of alligator meat, skins, leather, and products annually soar into the millions of dollars.

The California marketplace is responsible for about 30% of the alligator sales across the nation annually. With sales of alligator products in the $60 million dollars a year range, you can see why this lawsuit is worth for Louisiana's alligator hunters, suppliers, and product manufacturers.

 

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