At the outset of the 119th Congress, Congresswoman Julia Letlow has filed two pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening disaster assistance for livestock and crawfish producers and providing increased flexibility for farmers with soybean crops covered by federal crop insurance.
Read MoreWe are now about 5 days out from a potentially impactful winter storm that could affect the entire state. Here’s what we know so far.
First and foremost, it will get cold. Very cold. We could easily see lows in the teens in the northern third of Louisiana, with a hard freeze possible to the coast. There will be at least 3 nights where we see conditions like that, and it’s possible we could see even colder conditions if we end up seeing significant snow and ice.
Read MoreCongress recently passed a bill with very strong bipartisan support that includes a three-month continuing resolution funding the government to this March, plus a one-year farm bill extension, natural disaster aid, and agricultural economic assistance. Thank you to House Speaker Mike Johnson, who represents my district here in Louisiana, for avoiding a government shutdown and looking out for the interests of farmers nationwide.
Speaker Johnson’s staffers visited my farm last year, and it meant a lot that they heard what I had to say.
Read MoreFarm Bureau farmer and rancher members play an important role in our communities and our organization by serving on governing boards and committees at local, state and national levels. Several newly appointed volunteers will provide leadership beginning in 2025 as members of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Promotion & Education and Young Farmers & Ranchers committees.
Duvall announced the appointment of the following members to the YF&R Committee for the 2025-2027 term beginning in March: Cleveland Jackson, Georgia, (beef cattle); Scot Schwieterman, Kansas (alfalfa hay, row crops, cereal grains); Rachel Duncan, Louisiana (soybeans, beef cattle, cut flowers); Cora Okkema, Michigan (dairy cattle); Dustin and Katie Wiese, Minnesota (beef cattle, hay, corn, sorghum, oats); Tommy Salisbury, Oklahoma (soybeans, milo, wheat, beef cattle); and Jonathan Quigley, Washington (tree fruit).
Read MoreAs you may have heard, Congress was finally successful late into Friday night in passing a Continuing Resolution that included many priorities we worked very hard to achieve. The House passed the measure 366-34-1 with all Louisiana members voting in favor. The Senate passed the resolution 85-11, Cassidy supporting and Kennedy opposing.
Read MoreCongress appears to have failed to reach a consensus Wednesday on a Continuing Resolution.
We're grateful to you, our grassroots members, for taking the time let your representatives in Washington, D.C. know Louisiana agriculture cannot be ignored.
Read MoreThis year, you can host a Thanksgiving feast for ten for relatively little money.
“In Louisiana, that’s going to cost you on average $45.84, which is still $3 lower than it was last year,” says Avery Davidson with the Louisiana Farm Bureau.
Furthermore, that’s considerably less than the national average.
Read MoreIn Baton Rouge on November 22, 2024, the Louisiana Legislature wrapped up a special session focused on tax reform, culminating in the approval of a substantial tax package. This legislative action is set to reshape the state’s tax landscape with significant reductions in some areas, increases in others, and the establishment of a permanent stipend for teachers.
However, the implementation of these changes is contingent upon voter approval of a crucial constitutional amendment in the upcoming election.
Read MoreAlthough grocery prices remain high historically nationwide, they have dropped for a second year in a row.
Louisiana consumers will spend even less this Thanksgiving. According to a statewide sample of prices for the 2024 American Farm Bureau Federation Thanksgiving Dinner Price Survey, Louisiana residents should expect to spend $12.24 less than the national average for a classic Thanksgiving dinner for ten people.
Read MoreCars pack a gravel lot outside Hope Ministries, a Methodist nonprofit situated in the 70805 zip code, where the per capita yearly income is $18,340. The organization’s mission is to prevent homelessness and promote dignity.
A week before Thanksgiving, residents wait patiently for their turn at the organization's Client Choice Food Pantry.
Read MoreAgriculture plays a vital role in Louisiana, contributing over $4.8 billion in agricultural products from 25,006 farms across nearly 8 million acres, according to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Census of Agriculture.
Recognizing the industry’s importance, Louisiana offers specialty agriculture license plates as a unique way for residents to show support for the state’s farming community while directly funding agricultural education initiatives.
Read MoreThis week, U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) visited with farmers in Port Allen and Jennings, to discuss the next Farm Bill and what Louisiana’s farmers need to continue feeding our state and the world.
“Our farmers and fishermen produce the best sugarcane, rice and seafood in the world,” said Dr. Cassidy. “It’s my goal to protect them against unfair, foreign competition, to keep crop insurance affordable, and to prevent the cost of farming from rising. I appreciate being able to meet with Louisiana farmers and work together to reach these goals in the next Farm Bill.”
Read MoreCongresswoman Julia Letlow joined Congressman Trent Kelly in introducing the Farmer Assistance and Revenue Mitigation (FARM) Act of 2024. This legislation addresses the urgent need for immediate economic support for Louisiana farmers facing unprecedented challenges as they approach the crucial lending season for the 2025 crop year.
The FARM Act will give farmers one-time assistance payments and will be a critical resource for farmers in helping them pay down debt relative to the 2024 crop year and assist them in obtaining financing for the 2025 crop year.
The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation is urging federal lawmakers to create and enact a new long-term Farm Bill to help the state’s farmers and ranchers see opportunities for economic sustainability.
The Farm Bill officially expired on Sept. 30, meaning there is currently no federal safety net for farmers, said Richard Fontenot, president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.
Read MoreThe term “Farm Bureau Family” extends far beyond Louisiana. Members of the Kansas Farm Bureau recently traveled to the Bayou State, where they experienced unique agriculture and warm southern hospitality.
Over the course of a week, they explored several farms across the state, including Vermilion Gator Farm in Abbeville.
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