Commercial oyster farming has many challenges, even during the best of times. To increase the opportunity for success and recovery during extraordinary events, the Oyster Farming Resilience Index (OFRI) was recently developed by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium in collaboration with the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. In recent years, the industry has experienced everything from hurricanes and significant environmental events to COVID-19, which closed restaurants for an extended period. The index is a self-assessment tool designed for oyster farmers to use as a simple and inexpensive method of predicting if individual businesses are prepared to maintain operations during and after disasters.

How was the OFRI Developed?

The index was developed with broad participation from industry leaders and researchers. The team worked closely with an industry steering committee to identify measures of resilience (indicators). These indicators were written in the form of a yes or no question, although there are some cases when the indicator is not applicable to some commercial farms. Next, those indicators were organized into seven categories: business planning, marketing, disaster preparedness planning, workforce, monitoring of water and oysters, regulatory knowledge, and resource access and knowledge. The index was then pilot tested with farmers in Alabama and Mississippi, and modifications were made for further refinement.

Benefits

Oyster farmers will benefit from the OFRI by identifying strengths and weaknesses in their overall farm operation. These indicators can provide an important baseline to measure progress toward resilience goals. Progress toward resilience goals of a farm can be measured by retaking the OFRI every year or two months, Also, the index assists in assessing the overall resilience of the industry by identifying best practices used by farmers, as well as opportunities for program development across the Sea Grant network. The process of completing the OFRI should help identify the action items that farmers can take to address vulnerabilities and maintain long-term commercial viability.

Using the Index

The OFRI is designed to be completed by farmers. To access the index, visit the Consortium’s website at masgc.org. However, staff from Consortium and Extension are willing to meet individual farmers to assist in completing the index, and all conversations are confidential.

When the index is used, each farm should consider the farm’s level of preparedness for both large- and small-scale events. Being able to withstand and adapt to events before they happen has become a focal point for businesses and industries. Recognizing the vital role that planning, reparation, and collaboration play in developing and executing strategies is essential in building a resilient business. A point system is used for each indicator, so an overall score can be calculated, with the understanding that this is not a pass or fail exercise but rather an opportunity to identify areas to learn more about how to improve resilience for your operation.

For many companies, the process of completing the OFRI is intended to be a collaborative activity, bringing together partners and employees of your farm to discuss the questions and determine answers. This process creates conversations about important issues and joint solutions to challenges your farm may face, as well as documenting your farm’s strengths and best practices. An understanding of how your farm addresses or does not address the indicators is the most valuable part of completing the index, not the scores.