Long before football fans fire up the grill, stir a pot of jambalaya or gather around sweet treats on gameday, Louisiana farmers are working hard to make those traditions possible.

Rice, beef, crawfish, poultry and sugar are staples of Louisiana cooking, including countless dishes served before kickoff each week.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited Louisiana’s sugarcane industry Friday, touring the Louisiana Sugar Cane Cooperative (LASUCA) in St. Martin Parish and meeting with Gov. Jeff Landry, Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain, Louisiana Farm Bureau President Richard Fontenot and industry leaders to discuss the state’s agricultural economy and challenges facing farmers.

The drought continues to expand and intensify. 85% of Louisiana is under at least moderate drought conditions with 25% experiencing severe drought conditions. I know that math seems weird, but the 25% of the state in the severe drought would qualify for “at least” moderate drought. So it’s really dry once again. I think that’s all about to change.

Farmers and loggers are getting much needed help from Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as harvest is underway across Louisiana.

Governor Landry signed an executive order declaring an emergency due to the shortage and high cost of diesel fuel.

For generations, agriculture has helped shape the economy, landscape and culture of Vermilion Parish. Rice fields, crawfish ponds and sugarcane farms stretch across the parish toward Louisiana’s Gulf Coast.

Now, another industry is preparing to put down roots alongside them.

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. 

When it comes to corn and soybeans, states such as Illinois and Iowa are certain to be production juggernauts season after season. The sheer number of acres dedicated to these crops means that all eyes -- and the markets -- tend to focus their attention on these states, including the 2026 DTN Digital Yield Tour.

Yet, living on the buckle of the Corn Belt isn't a prerequisite for growing successful, and often high-yielding, crops, as this year's tour estimates reveal.

Corn harvest is rolling across Louisiana, but for Kam Harper, getting a combine into the field this year took two plantings and months of uncertainty.

Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Secretary-Treasurer Mike Melancon was recognized Saturday evening as one of Sugar Journal’s 2026 Sugar Notables, an international honor celebrating individuals whose careers have made lasting contributions to the global sugar industry.

A tropical system is moving toward Louisiana, and my concern level is pretty low. This system has had a hard time organizing, and it looks like the track will be further north. That means this system will have less time over water, and any sort of Louisiana impact will likely be minor.

A crown may distinguish the young woman chosen to serve as Louisiana Farm Bureau Queen, but it is her commitment to agriculture, her passion for people and her willingness to share the stories of Louisiana’s farmers and ranchers that define her role.  

Beyond the sash and title is a year of service travelling across the state to represent the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation at agricultural events, community celebrations and educational programs.

Diesel is used throughout agricultural production, powering tractors, combines, irrigation equipment and the trucks that move crops, livestock and farm inputs. With diesel prices rising sharply in recent weeks, fuel costs have become an even larger concern during one of the most fuel-intensive periods of the year.

A recent Farm Bureau analysis detailed the global supply disruptions and tight fuel markets behind the increase in diesel prices. For farmers, the effects show up directly in the cost of operating equipment and indirectly through higher transportation costs.

As farmers and ranchers face record-high diesel costs, American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall called on the president to take several steps to lower prices at the pump, including a temporary suspension of the federal highway diesel tax.

The American Farm Bureau Federation on Thursday called on President Donald Trump to roll back the additional 300,000 metric tons of beef imports authorized by his administration. The group cited new data showing little change in retail ground beef prices since the lower-tariff imports began entering the United States.

The Federal Trade Commission is hearing about a scam targeting some of the hardest working people out there: farmers. Scammers posing as farm equipment businesses are selling (fake) equipment to farmers, who end up empty-handed. Here’s how the scam works and how to avoid it.

Farmland is disappearing across the United States as development and other pressures reduce the amount of land available for agriculture.

American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall says competition for farmland is growing as housing, businesses, solar projects, and data centers expand.

Farming requires significant capital. Producers pay for seed, fertilizer, feed, fuel and other inputs months and sometimes years before crops are harvested or livestock are sold. Buying farmland, machinery and other long-term assets often require even more financing.

Those needs are growing. USDA projects total production costs for major field crops to reach new highs in 2027.

Credit is an essential part of agriculture, helping farmers manage costs and invest in their operations. But as borrowing costs rise, what does increased reliance on credit say about the overall health of the farm economy? American Farm Bureau Economist Faith Parum breaks it down.

USDA's September 2026 net farm income forecast, released Sept. 3, projects that net farm income, a broad measure of farm sector profitability, will decline to $158.4 billion in 2026. That is $4.3 billion, or 2.6%, below the newly revised 2025 estimate of approximately $162.7 billion. After adjusting for inflation, the decline becomes considerably larger at $9.1 billion, or 5.5%.

American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) announcement regarding small refinery exemptions, which impact biofuel demand by exempting refineries from blending renewable fuel as required under the Renewable Fuel Standard.

The beef production cycle is a long-term process that takes several years to complete.

Cattle farmers' daily decisions affect the beef supply and prices for years to come.

America's beef cattle herd is at its lowest level since the 1970s, reflecting the years of depressed prices, high input costs and persistent drought conditions ranchers have faced.

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.“

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.