The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation joined Louisiana Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain and other state agricultural organizations in urging federal officials to release the maximum allowable number of supplemental H-2B visas for fiscal year 2027 to help seasonal businesses address labor shortages.
Read MoreEddie Lewis III’s sugar cane crop looks better than it has in years, but he’ll be lucky if he breaks even by the end of the harvest.
Diesel prices have nearly doubled since he created his budget last winter. Fertilizer costs are up 20%. And a new, invasive pest known as the pasture mealybug has led to an unexpected $25,000 pesticide bill.
Read MoreFor Eli Graham, farming has always been about more than being the next generation in his family to farm. It is about raising a family, working alongside people who have become like family and learning to take life as it comes.
Read MoreWhat happens to a crop after it leaves the farm can be just as important as what happens while it is growing.
Avery Davidson sits down at the Port of New Orleans with U.S. Department of Transportation Assistant Secretary Michael Rutherford, Port NOLA Chief Commercial Officer Kristi App and Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain to follow agriculture from the farm gate to the global marketplace.
Read MoreFor generations, Louisiana farmers have helped feed thousands while supporting an industry deeply connected to the state’s economy and culture. Today, maintaining that legacy requires farmers to balance longstanding traditions with new technologies, changing market demands and rising costs.
In honor of National Farmers Day on October 12, we take a closer look at the farmers behind some of Louisiana’s signature commodities and how they are navigating changes in agriculture while carrying on family traditions.
Read MoreWe now have Tropical Depression 9, and by the time you're reading this will likely have Tropical Storm Isaias. This system should gather strength over the next few days as it slowly moves eastward and then turns to the north. The initial forecast track brings this inland as a category 1 or 2 hurricane near the Alabama Mississippi border.
Read MoreLong 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.
Read MoreU.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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreFarmers 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.
Read MoreFor 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.
Read MoreAn 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.
Read MoreYou’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.
Read MoreWhen 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.
Read MoreCorn harvest is rolling across Louisiana, but for Kam Harper, getting a combine into the field this year took two plantings and months of uncertainty.
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