Ruston, Louisiana built its identity around Louisiana Tech University and a peach farming tradition dating back generations, with the surrounding Lincoln Parish countryside still home to working peach orchards that supply the annual Louisiana Peach Festival, a June event drawing visitors from across the state for a celebration built entirely around a crop most people don’t associate with Louisiana agriculture at all.
Read MoreFresh produce markets run on strict timing. Fruits and vegetables are highly perishable, harvest windows are often short, and growers generally cannot store a crop while waiting for prices to improve. A few weeks of excess supply can determine whether a season ends in profit or loss.
Imports are an essential part of this system. They fill seasonal production gaps, support year-round consumer demand, and strengthen integrated supply chains.
Read MoreNational Farmers Market Week is being observed this week as the U.S. Department of Agriculture recognizes the impact local growers have on their regional food systems. The West Monroe Farmers Market at Seventh Square is highlighting its role in supporting the Northeast Louisiana economy through its network of farmers and small businesses.
Read MoreA Cyclospora outbreak has significantly altered consumer buying habits, leading thousands of heads of lettuce from large brands to remain on grocery store shelves. This shift has prompted consumers to turn to local farmers for safe, fresh produce. Amid the outbreak, Big Daddy Farms is providing a solution with its hydroponic growing system.
Read MoreSt. Francisville is widely celebrated for its oak-canopied roads and deep-rooted heritage. At the heart of this community lies one of its most storied landmarks: The Myrtles. Long known for its fascinating history and culture, the historic plantation is drawing in visitors with a vibrant new attraction that celebrates local commerce and agriculture — its seasonal farmers market.
Read MoreThe Southern University Ag Center has a new way to teach visitors about vegetable production, sustainable gardening techniques, and more.
University leaders cut the ribbon on the new Demonstration Farm during a grand opening ceremony on Wednesday, July 1. The Demonstration Farm serves as a garden and living classroom.
Read MoreIn Karuna Kharel’s LSU AgCenter food microbiology lab, pecans are better protected, freeze-dried strawberries are safer and smoked and canned oysters are safely on the menu. The researcher focuses on improving the safety and quality of Louisiana commodities, with particular attention to low-moisture foods like nuts and freeze-dried products.
Read MoreLafayette chef Kris Allen has been crowned the 2026 King of Louisiana Seafood after winning the 19th annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off.
Read MoreResearchers and staff at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station recently held their 2026 field day for landscape industry professionals.
“This is an annual gathering of industry folks, and it’s a great time for industry people as well as AgCenter specialists to come together and share ideas,” said Hammond Research Station coordinator Christine Coker.
Read MoreLSU AgCenter horticulturist Joe Willis, also known as “Dr. Joe,” loves helping people grow plants. And the number of awards he’s won this year attests to how good he is at it.
Willis most recently won the National Garden Club’s Award of Excellence, their highest honor, in May, at the annual convention in St. Louis, Missouri.
Read MoreThe Big River Economic and Agricultural Development Alliance (BREADA) has announced a new Summer Culinary Series, sparked by growing community interest in interactive food experiences that highlight local agriculture, culinary learning, and meaningful connection.
Featuring chef-led classes, demonstrations, and tastings designed to showcase the freshest seasonal ingredients available at the Red Stick Farmers Market, the Summer Culinary Series will be hosted inside The Teaching Kitchen at Main Street Market.
Read More“Would you like regular or sweet potato fries with that?” is an oft-asked question to diners across America. And for those looking for a higher-fiber, nutrient-dense option to accompany their main course, the latter is often the way to go — especially if they are baked rather than fried.
Read MoreThe Becnel family has farmed Louisiana citrus for five generations, so when Ben Becnel was asked about the industry's current state, his answer was simple.
"It used to be profitable. Now, it's not," he said.
Read MoreAllison and Grant Guidroz woke up near midnight in September last year to a horrifying site at their Baton Rouge home and micro-farm — a fire rising from their detached garage.
The Guidrozes operate Fullness Farm, an organic micro-farm built on the old Longwood Plantation that amasses one acre of the 15-acre property. In the fire, the family lost their tractor, truck and stores of bottled-up honey and seeds. The family and farm were unharmed. Their younger two children, luckily, were staying at their grandparent's home.
Read MoreLouisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry is now accepting applications for the 2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, funded through the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service.
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