Sugarcane harvesting season is underway across Louisiana, but farmers say unpredictable weather patterns are shaking up their plans. More than a month ago, Hurricane Francine swept across the southern part of the state; the wind and rain damaged crops.
Read MoreThe Mississippi River is suffering from low waters for the third straight autumn, a crucial time of year when American farmers rely on the route to deliver their crops to the world.
Months of limited rainfall — with few chances for more during the rest of the season — have left the vital waterway so shallow that barges are starting to run aground, even after shippers started running lighter loads to prevent boats from hitting the river bottom.
Read MoreIn the aftermath of the storm, the LSU AgCenter LaHouse Research and Education Center is reminding homeowners to prioritize safety and be vigilant when assessing damage and beginning cleanup. With the potential for structural damage and downed powerlines, it’s critical that residents take precautions to avoid further harm.
Read MoreBarges plying the shrinking lower Mississippi River have to reduce their draft, meaning operators will have to cut the amount of cargo their boats carry to meet the latest restrictions.
“The gauge at Memphis dropped to the low water threshold of minus 5 feet on Aug. 30,” said Scott Stiles, extension economics program associate for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “The last two years, the U.S. Coast Guard initiated a 9-foot draft requirement when river levels fall below the low water threshold.
Read MoreThe Louisiana climate is heavily influenced by the Gulf of Mexico and the subtropical climate that we share with the four other Gulf Coast states. Of those Gulf Coast states, we are on average the wettest. That rain is a big component of why we call Louisiana Sportsman's Paradise, and the abundance of water that creates a green environment is a monster contributor to Louisiana agriculture.
Read MoreLouisiana experienced unprecedented hot weather last summer, which carried into the fall and winter months, this being known as drought.
Read MoreCotton Incorporated and Nutrien Ag Solutions have teamed up to provide weekly weather update videos via the Cotton Cultivated website to make sure cotton producers have access to information they can count on. This weekly forecast is tailored specifically for cotton producers.
Read MoreAs U.S. producers continue to make production decisions regarding the 2024 season, the weather forecast is an important consideration. Will El Nino break the Southwest drought? What about rainfall in the Southeast? Will the Mississippi River see relief? What is the moisture outlook in the Western U.S. in states such as California?
Read MoreAs the US gears up for a winter heavily influenced by the first strong El Niño in years, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have released maps that offer insight into where snow could pile up.
Read MoreWith Halloween upon us, many families still need to pick out the perfect pumpkin for their front porches. At Mrs. Heather's Pumpkin patch in Hammond, dry weather during the summer hurt crops in the fall.
Read MoreExtreme weather, such as the drought in Texas, is not just wearing on the spirit of American farmers. It is also leading to more crop insurance claims and increased cost for the taxpayer, insurance provider, and farmer. A Stanford University study published in 2021 analyzed the impact of warming temperatures on the cost of crop insurance from 1991 to 2017, and found it contributed to more than 19% of the $141 billion in losses covered by the federal program in that time frame.
Read MoreA key stretch of the lower Mississippi River dropped this week to within inches of its lowest-ever level and is expected to remain near historic lows just as the busiest U.S. grain export season gets underway, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
Read MoreFrom the Mississippi River to the Panama Canal, this year’s drought has resulted in low water levels that are likely to disrupt agricultural production and trade through at least the end of the year.
Read MoreIt’s game time says Soy Transportation Coalition executive director Mike Steenhoek, and key waterway infrastructure systems are not ready.
“There's a couple times a year where it's game time more than others, and harvest season is one of those periods and you need to have our supply chain operating on all cylinders,” Steenhoek says.
Read More2023 has already yielded its fair share of major weather disasters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has confirmed 15 weather disasters with total economic losses exceeding $1 billion each as of August 8.
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