Posts in LDAF
ULM Toxicology Faculty Awarded EPA Grant to Monitor Water Quality

The ULM Toxicology faculty have been awarded a grant in the amount of $134,299 to conduct water quality monitoring in the Upper Bayou Lafourche watershed.  The funding source is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with a sub-grant agreement with the Gulf of America Alliance and the Morehouse Soil & Water Conservation District.  This project will determine current water quality conditions in the Bayou Lafourche watershed and indicate potential changes in water quality, i.e., nutrient reduction, due to Best Management Practices (BMPs) implemented by area farmers and landowners. ULM Toxicology will sample monthly for three years after BMP implementation has concluded.

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LDAFkristen oaks
Louisiana Receives Crop Block Grant

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has awarded the La. Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) over $386,000 in Fiscal Year 2025 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) funding. This USDA grant will enable the LDAF to fund projects that enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in the state and support specialty crop growers through marketing, education, and research initiatives. Specialty crops include “fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture,” as defined by the USDA.

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LDAF, USDAkristen oaks
Impact Of Government Shutdown On Loans And Aid For North Louisiana's Farmers

North Louisiana fields are busy with harvest and fall planting decisions, yet a possible federal shutdown would tangle that work with red tape and uncertainty. The issue is not politics. It is timing.

Farmers live by seasons and cash flow. When federal services pause, everyday decisions about credit, insurance, and marketing get harder across Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto, and the Delta parishes.

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LDAF, USDAAvery Davidson
Hopes Are High for The Next Crawfish Season

Dr. Mike Strain joins the show to share updates on Louisiana’s agriculture and fire prevention efforts. He began by celebrating the abundance of certified Louisiana seafood, especially shrimp and the upcoming crawfish season. With over 360,000 acres of farmed crawfish and favorable weather, the state anticipates a strong harvest with larger crawfish and lower prices, potentially around $2.34 per pound. Louisiana leads the nation in aquaculture, including oysters and crawfish, which are vital to its economy.

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Let’s Grow Together, Farmer Resource Fair

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s Strategic Partnerships and Veterans Outreach Program is set to host a Farmer Resource Fair.

Attendees will have the opportunity to gain insights into available grants and loan opportunities, as well as strategies to enhance farming benefits.

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LDAFkristen oaks
Louisiana Reminding Farmers of Harvest Season Safety and Guidelines

The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry is reminding farmers to have the proper documentation and inspections when crossing state lines.

“We still have boll weevil control program in place where we monitor if we’re going to get bow weevils back, it’s going to be a hitchhiker,” Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain said. “It’s going to come in on a piece of equipment or in some type of debris from a boll weevil infected area.”

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Cotton, LDAFAvery Davidson