USDA Boosts Louisiana Agricultural Economy Through $446.4 Million in Safety Net and Conservation Program Payments
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering approximately $446.4 million in farm safety net and conservation program payments to Louisiana farmers, ranchers and landowners. USDA recently announced nationwide historic safety net assistance totaling $13.8 billion in gross payments through the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2025 crop year and an additional $1.8 billion in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) annual payments for 2026.
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Rice Outlook: October 2026
The USDA’s October Rice Outlook examines the latest developments in the U.S. rice industry, including production forecasts, crop conditions, supply and demand, trade and market prices. The report offers an updated look at the factors shaping the rice market and provides valuable insight for Louisiana rice producers as they navigate the current growing season and look ahead to the next marketing year.
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USDA Launches Export Grain Inspection Dashboard
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS) today announced the launch of the Export Inspection and Weighing Dashboard, a new public facing visualization tool that modernizes how official U.S. export grain inspection volumes are reported to industry and the public.
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USDA Funding Boosts Louisiana Honey, Citrus and Pecan Growers
Louisiana will receive more than $461,000 in federal funding to help strengthen specialty crop production across the state, supporting industries ranging from honey and pecans to citrus and mayhaw.
The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which is distributing $86.6 million nationwide for projects aimed at improving the competitiveness of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticultural products and other specialty crops.
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USDA Raises Corn Yield Estimate, Pressures Grain Markets
A market analyst says the USDA surprised grain traders with its corn yield increase in its October supply and demand report.
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UL Lafayette Receives Second USDA Grant to Expand Support for Rural Businesses
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has received a $174,565 grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business Development Grant Program to expand support for entrepreneurs in rural communities across Acadiana.
The grant, the University’s second USDA Rural Development award supporting its Rural Economic Development Innovation Initiative, or REDII, will establish the Rural Enterprise and Innovation Accelerator, or REIA.
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USDA Announces $1.8 Billion in 2026 Conservation Program Payments
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today it is issuing approximately $1.8 billion in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) payments to agricultural producers and landowners for their participation in key conservation programs for 2026. These payments include Grassland CRP payments that play an important role in the Trump Administration’s Ranchers First Initiative announced by USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins that includes sweeping actions focused on rebuilding the Great American Cattle Herd and putting America’s ranchers back at the center of our nation’s food supply.
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USDA Announces Record Payments Of $13.8 Billion For 2025 Crop Year Revenue And Price Safety Net Programs
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the Farm Service Agency’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) will generate approximately $13.8 billion in gross payments to eligible agricultural producers for the 2025 crop year; the largest annual payout by far since these key safety net programs were established in the 2014 Farm Bill.
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USDA: Small Family Farms Accounted for 86% of US Farms and Generated 17% of Production
In 2024, about 86 percent of all farms were small family farms. These farms, which have gross cash farm income (GCFI) below $350,000, operated on 40 percent of U.S. agricultural land while producing 17 percent of the total value of agricultural production.
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USDA Investment Helps Louisiana Producer Grow Market for Value-Added Meat
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Louisiana State Director Troy Romero today announced the agency is awarding a $37,628 grant to Fontenot Beef LLC to expand marketing and sales of its value‑added beef and pork products, targeting health‑conscious consumers across the region.
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USDA Announces October 2026 Lending Rates For Agricultural Producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for October 2026, which are effective Oct. 1, 2026. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.
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USDA Rural Development Awards Grant to South Central Planning and Development Commission to Strengthen Bagasse Supply Chain
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Louisiana State Director Troy Romero announced the agency is awarding a $74,975 grant to South Central Planning and Development Commission (SCP&DC) to provide technical assistance to strengthen the sugarcane bagasse economy.
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USDA to Invest $5 Million to Help Partners and Producers Restore and Protect Wetlands and Floodplains on Agricultural Lands
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced an investment of $5 million in partnerships to help agricultural producers and private landowners restore and steward wetlands and floodplains through conservation easements. These projects, funded by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), deliver Farmers First, direct-to-producer benefits while improving water quality, reducing flooding risks and providing habitat for wildlife.
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Louisiana NRCS Celebrates Contribution to One Million Acres Restored Through Wetland Reserve Easements
More than one million acres of wetlands and bottomland hardwood forests have now been restored through the Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE) program across the Lower Mississippi Alluvial Valley (LMAV), which stretches from Missouri to Louisiana. Of the 6 states included in the LMAV, Louisiana makes up more than a third of the one-million-acre milestone with 368,265 acres enrolled in WRE.
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USDA to Invest $5 Million to Help Partners and Producers Restore and Protect Wetlands and Floodplains on Agricultural Lands
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced an investment of $5 million in partnerships to help agricultural producers and private landowners restore and steward wetlands and floodplains through conservation easements. These projects, funded by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), deliver Farmers First, direct-to-producer benefits while improving water quality, reducing flooding risks and providing habitat for wildlife.
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