Our Vision
Our vision is to develop a commercial shrimp business that produces an all-natural, superior quality shrimp while demonstrating good stewardship of our environment and being a good neighbor. We want our product to be affordable while keeping our enterprise sustainable.
Our Farm
Greene Prairie Aquafarm, LLC is located in west, central Alabama, about 150 miles from the Gulf coast. The farm was formed in 2001 to produce the saltwater shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, in low salinity water pumped from an underground aquifer. The brackish water has been used for many years to produce channel catfish, but our farm was the first in Alabama dedicated to shrimp. The farm comprises 23 earthen ponds containing a total of 77 surface acres of water.
Our Experience
Greene Prairie Aquafarm, LLC was established as a partnership between David Teichert-Coddington, and H. R. (Rud) Schmittou. David and Rud were colleagues at Auburn University, AL, where they worked with the Department of Fisheries and Allied Aquacultures and the International Center for Aquaculture and Aquatic Environments. David became the sole owner of GPA when Rud retired from the farm in 2018.
David manages the farm where he lives with his wife, Nadine, two dogs and a cat. Joel, their youngest son, joined the farm in 2018 as an industrial maintenance technician and general assistant.
Shrimp Production
Our ponds are excavated in prairie soil composed of tight clay with minimal percolation. They are filled from wells with low salinity water that is about 10% of seawater strength. The water must be amended with potassium salts and some magnesium for the shrimp to survive and thrive. The shrimp production cycle is summarized below.
Certifications
Institute for Marketecology
2009 – 2019
This certification must be renewed annually to sell to Whole Foods.
Fish Choice Supplier Member
2019
Recognized as a source of sustainably produced shrimp
FishWise Production Partner
2010
We raise an environmentally responsible product by minimizing environmental impact.
Monterrey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch
Best Choice, 2010
As a USA inland producer of shrimp, we have been listed as a “Best Choice” for those wanting to buy sustainable seafood.