The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) announced a $2 million project to support the development of cost-effective tools that help tree nut handlers control pests and maintain product quality while crops are in storage after harvest.

Funded under the Assisting Specialty Crop Exports (ASCE) Initiative, this opportunity is part of a broader ASCE suite of investments for specialty crop producers, which include fruits, vegetables, pulses, potatoes and tree nuts.

USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Director Dr. Jaye Hamby has announced that Dr. Paul Coreil, retired chancellor for the Louisiana State University of Alexandria, will deliver the 2026 Seaman Knapp Memorial Lecture Sunday, Nov. 15 at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) annual meeting in San Antonio, TX. 

The lecture is one of three rotating lectures presented by NIFA and APLU that honor three historic Land-grant University figures: William Henry Hatch, Seaman A. Knapp and Justin Smith Morrill. 

American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall commented today on the breakdown of trade talks between the United States and Canada, and the imposition of additional damaging tariffs.

“Canada has been one of the most important trading partners for U.S. agriculture since our first free trade agreement in 1989.“

Officials reported that firefighters responded to 22 wildfires in Louisiana over the weekend as dry conditions persist this summer.

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry stated that over 109 acres burned. Officials warned that contained fires can reignite and urged people to be cautious with activities that could start a fire.

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Wildlife Firefighters recently responded to a reburn in Union Parish, according to its Facebook page.

Forestry managers say dry conditions across the state have increased wildfire risk, and fires that have been contained have a chance to reignite. Fire can refuel in hot spots and spread again beyond containment lines.

Few agricultural success stories are more uniquely Louisiana than the remarkable growth of crawfish farming. What began as a relatively small agricultural enterprise has evolved into a major contributor to the state’s economy. Amazingly, Louisiana now produces an estimated 90 to 95 percent of the nation’s crawfish! I was fortunate to witness and participate in part of that transformational growth during my early career with the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service.

Louisiana must expand its ports and renew the federal farm bill to protect and grow the state’s economic engine, according to Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner, Dr. Michael Strain.

Strain urged federal lawmakers to unite and pass a comprehensive farm bill that aligns federal policy with the realities that local farmers face daily.

We finally got the data back from the LSU Ag Chemistry lab evaluated imidacloprid residue in/on leaves collected 2 and 6 days after application using drop tips from a hiboy, overhead with a CO2 backpack sprayer or untreated control plants (where the hiboy went through but did not actively spray in that area). We then collected leaves (n=5 per treatment) with no visible symptoms (green), those with partial symptoms (yellowing either at the tip or along half of the leaf), and those fully yellowed.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline for farmers to apply for Stages 1 and 2 of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) to Sept. 30, 2026. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is providing greater flexibility for farmers who experienced quality losses on eligible crops.

Now, when applying for this key program, farmers who experienced quality-related discounts can use verifiable and reliable documentation to show quality losses due to natural disasters occurring 2023 and 2024.

Crawfish is part of our culture in South Louisiana, and Abbeville High School is educating its students about the industry by using a pond on its campus.

If you're from Acadiana, you already know that the crawfish industry is huge across our region, and many farmers in our area make great money by harvesting crawfish.

Blockchain technology is used for securely recording and sharing information. Instead of one company, bank or government maintaining the official ledger of record, debits, credits, etc., blockchain networks distribute control and maintenance across a network of computers that make up a decentralized, digital ledger.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on President Trump’s plan to import an additional 300,000 metric tons of beef in addition to already record-high beef imports.

“Farmers and ranchers are extremely disappointed to learn that President Trump plans to flood the American market with hundreds of millions of pounds of foreign-raised beef. The U.S. is already importing beef at record levels. This decision would be an unprecedented move and would translate to nearly an additional 60% increase in imports over the next 90 days.”

Representatives from RWE Americas, a global energy company with major operations in renewable energy, electricity generation, and energy trading, joined SU Ag Center faculty and staff on August 19, 2026, at the Matthews Center for Innovation and Disaster Recovery at Southern University for a check presentation and special discussion highlighting the partnership. The event focused on the shared commitment of both organizations to creating opportunities for youth through education, community investment, and workforce development.

The Southern University Ag Center will host a Drone Part 107 Test Preparation Certification Training from August 31 – September 3, 2026, at the M.A. Edmound Multi-Purpose Building, 14600 Scenic Hwy., Baton Rouge, LA.

The four-day training, which will be held from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily, is designed for farmers, researchers, students, educators, entrepreneurs, and professionals interested in using drones for agriculture, research, business applications, or anyone seeking to become an FAA-certified drone pilot.

An extended period of heat can easily become a bit too much to manage when work is done outdoors.

Robert Duncan, a fourth-generation farmer, manages crops like soybeans, wheat, livestock, and more on his land in Boyce. He is the owner and operator of R&R Duncan Cattle.

You’ve likely heard the term “flash drought” being thrown around over the last week. We saw this in 2023, but that was a special case, and we were already seeing extreme to exceptional drought by late August. In this case, we range from abnormally dry to moderate drought, but 100 degree days, and little forecasted rain means we will likely see a quick surge upward in drought intensity and coverage. 

Sugarcane farmers from across the country gathered in Colorado for the American Sugar Alliance’s 41st Annual International Sweetener Symposium to address pressing industry challenges.

Growers focused on the combined impacts of recent drought, invasive pests and foreign trade pressures affecting domestic production.

The Southern University Ag Center and the College of Agricultural, Human and Environmental Sciences(CAHES) will host the 5th Annual Vino on the Bluff Wine Tasting Fundraiser at 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 2, 2026 at the Leon R. Tarver II Cultural and Heritage Center, 8320 G. Leon Netterville Dr., on the Southern University campus.

Earlier in 2026, the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission approved rules to establish a recreational alligator hunting season. And soon, you'll be able to apply for tags via a lottery system.

Grand Isle is set to take center stage on the national television screen later this month. The 2026 Hurricane Hole Louisiana Open, presented by Visit Jefferson Parish, is bringing national broadcast coverage to Grand Isle for the first time in its history. ESPN+ will broadcast the four-day offshore fishing tournament live from August 28–30, culminating in a nationally televised recap show airing on ESPN2 over Labor Day Weekend.

U.S. sugar producers and policymakers are pressing for changes to what they say is an outdated tariff structure that is contributing to record-high sugar stocks.