Posts in LSU AgCenter
LSU's Agriculture VP Matt Lee Will Serve as Interim President

Matt Lee, LSU's vice president for agriculture, will serve as the university's interim president starting July 1, the university said Monday.

He will serve as interim leader while the university conducts a national search for a permanent president. The announcement follows the news that LSU President William Tate IV will step down after June 30 to become president of Rutgers University in New Jersey.

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Loveland Products Wins AgExcellence Award For Grant That Supports Research, Professors

A seven-year collaboration between Loveland Products, Inc., and the LSU AgCenter is driving innovation in rice breeding and agricultural research. Through the LPI Research Station Support Fund, Loveland has provided critical resources that have enabled the AgCenter to expand its rice breeding program, launch impactful grant writing initiatives and support early-stage research projects.

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Louisiana Weekly Climate Summary: April 30-May 6, 2025

The Louisiana Drought Team (LDT), in coordination with the national USDM authors, agreed to “status-quo” across the state this week. Thus, D0 “abnormally dry” coverage was maintained but not expanded across portions of Cameron and Vermilion parishes. 

Several periods of rain during the 7-day monitoring period resulted in street/nuisance flooding in some areas, saturated or over-saturated soils, and rivers and streams rising to near or above flood stage. Moisture demands will be increasing as we move later through spring and into summer, but right now moisture reserves are more than sufficient to meet that increase. 

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The Alexandria Zoo & The LSU AgCenter's Effect On Low-Income Families

Low-income households frequently encounter significant barriers in accessing safe and affordable opportunities for physical activity. Many neighborhoods lack parks, recreational facilities and safe walking paths, making it difficult for families to engage in regular exercise. Interestingly, many zoos in the United States are situated in low-income areas, presenting a unique opportunity to address the lack of accessible recreational spaces.

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How LSU Chemists Are Learning from Nature to Rethink Nitrogen Fixation

Nitrogen is one of the essential elements on which life depends. However, while nitrogen is abundant in the atmosphere as nitrogen gas (N₂), this form is largely inert and unusable by most living organisms.

To be biologically useful, nitrogen must be converted into ammonia (NH₃), a form that living systems can incorporate into vital biomolecules like DNA, RNA, and proteins.

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Crop Market Report for Corn, Soybeans, Rice, and Cotton: May, 2025

The 2025/26 U.S. corn outlook is for record supplies and total use, and higher ending stocks. The corn crop is projected at 15.8 billion bushels, up 6 percent from a year ago on increases to both area and yield. Planted area of 95.3 million acres if realized would be the highest in over a decade. The yield projection of 181.0 bushels per acre is based on a weather-adjusted trend assuming normal planting progress and summer growing season weather.

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This 'Double Agent' Retired After 41 Years with Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU AgCenter

Mark Shirley, a Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU AgCenter marine extension agent, retired in March after 41 years of service. He is known for many things during his career, but most notably, he developed Marsh Maneuvers — established in 1989 as an immersive education program for 4-H students to experience Louisiana's coast. The program motivates students toward studying coastal ecology and biological sciences.

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LSU AgCenter Launches Healthy Families Produce Prescription Program To Boost Food Access, Nugtrition

A produce prescription program is putting fresh fruits and vegetables within reach for families in rural Louisiana.

The Healthy Families Produce Prescription (HFPRx) program — developed through a partnership of the LSU AgCenter’s High Obesity Program (HOP), Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign and About Fresh — is now available in Assumption, Terrebonne, Winn, Morehouse and Claiborne parishes.

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Pasture to Market Newsletter: Spring 2025

Spring is in full swing as producers work to get any remaining cool season forages off pastures to allow for warm season forages to make their way through. Remember that forages, such as our winter annuals, can easily shade out summer perennials like bermudagrass. Your local extension agent can help you develop a plan to ensure maximum production of warm season forages on your operation. 

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Louisiana Forage Farmer: Spring 2025

Warm-season perennial grasses such as bahiagrass, bermudagrass, and dallisgrass make up most of the acres of improved pasture in Louisiana. They also produce most of the grass hay harvested in the state. These grasses, if properly managed, are capable of remaining productive for many years after establishment, but initial establishment costs can be high.

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2025 Pasture and Warm-Season Forage Crop Variety Suggestions

Variety selection is an important decision that producers must make when establishing forages in pastures. Many varieties of forage crops are marketed in Louisiana and scientists with the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center periodically conduct variety trials with warm-season forages. This information is used to make suggestions each year concerning warm-season forages for producers to consider utilizing.

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