On a Monday morning at a sugarcane farm in Port Allen, LSU AgCenter entomologist Blake Wilson and two student workers pushed through green and yellow cane stalks on a field’s border and into the interior rows. There, they found plants that were completely brown.
This farm, and many others throughout the state, has been infested with the pasture mealybug, an invasive species first identified by Louisiana crop consultants last year.
Read MoreIndustry experts are projecting supply uncertainty for the beet and cane sugar crops for fiscal year 2026-27. The primary contributing factors to this uncertainty include drought-related reductions in sugarbeet planted acreage, relatively low sugar prices, high input costs and uncertainty about sugar demand, potentially stemming from the growing popularity of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.
Read MoreWith fall upon us, many a Louisianan’s mind turns to that first piping hot pot of gumbo simmering on the stove. But if the cotton jassid (Amrasca biguttula) has its way, one favorite ingredient — okra — may have to be left off the ingredient list.
Read MoreSometimes a simple message can make a difference. That was the idea behind a 4-H suicide prevention project in Calcasieu Parish that started with markers, coffee sleeves and a group of 4-H’ers hoping to spread encouragement.
Read MoreThere has been an abundance of ear rots reported in Louisiana throughout this growing season. As the harvest window is winding down, and with many growers already finished with harvest, I have heard of one reoccurring issue in particular: aflatoxin. There have been reports of heavy docking and even loads being rejected at the elevators. In addition to this, there are now many growers who are planning to store their grain who have been inquiring about storage guidelines for infected grain.
Read MoreWith fall upon us, many a Louisianan’s mind turns to that first piping hot pot of gumbo simmering on the stove. But if the cotton jassid (Amrasca biguttula) has its way, one favorite ingredient — okra — may have to be left off the ingredient list.
Fortunately, LSU AgCenter researchers, armed with U.S. Department of Agriculture funding, just might save your mamaw’s recipe.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter is testing soybean varieties across Louisiana to help farmers make more informed planting decisions.
Soybean specialist David Moseley said about 10 varieties are being tested at roughly 10 locations across the state. The trials also give researchers a chance to see how different farming practices affect the crop.
Read MoreA rally in commodity prices is helping Louisiana farmers absorb much of the higher input costs for fuel and fertilizer, but economists are not sure how long it will last. LSU AgCenter reporter Craig Gautreaux spoke with an ag economist about the current runup in farm products.
Read MoreThe waning days of summer brought researchers and producers together in central and northeast Louisiana with the focus on improving multiple aspects of the cattle business at the LSU AgCenter’s annual beef and forage field days.
Read MoreFor another year, the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden will host the Corn Maze at Burden.
Read MoreThis month’s 2026/27 U.S. corn outlook is for smaller supplies, lower domestic use, unchanged exports, and reduced ending stocks. Projected beginning stocks for 2026/27 are 23 million bushels lower based primarily on a larger export forecast for 2025/26. Corn production for 2026/27 is forecast at 15.8 billion bushels, 213 million down from last month on a 2.2-bushel reduction in yield to 178.5 bushels per acre and a fractional decrease in harvested area to 88.5 million.
Read MoreFarmers, conservation partners and LSU AgCenter researchers gathered for a field day focused on soil health, nitrogen management and watershed protection in rice‑growing areas of southwest Louisiana.
Read MoreAs fall approaches and spring-born calves are being weaned, many cattle producers are evaluating whether those calves should be sold at weaning or retained and backgrounded on winter forage before being marketed at heavier weights. Likewise, producers operating stocker enterprises are determining whether current market conditions justify purchasing lightweight calves for winter grazing programs. One factor complicating these decisions in 2026 is the continued drought affecting many areas of Louisiana. For some producers, the ability to successfully establish winter forage may ultimately determine whether backgrounding is even feasible.
Read MoreOver the past couple of months, cattle markets have been confronted with several developments that have increased both uncertainty and volatility. The typical seasonal downturn in beef demand during the hottest part of the summer appears to have been more pronounced and longer lasting than normal, as extreme temperatures contributed to a significant summer slowdown in beef movement. As a result, carcass cutout values declined, eventually placing pressure on both fed cattle and feeder cattle prices.
Read MoreThe Livestock Risk Protection (LRP) program is a federally subsidized insurance policy designed to help cattle producers manage price risk. The policy guarantees a price level for cattle at a specific future date. If actual prices at that time fall below the guaranteed price, the policy pays an indemnity equal to the difference. In this way, LRP establishes a price floor for cattle, similar to purchasing a futures put option.
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