Why Louisiana Urgently Needs The Greenfield Wallace Facility
Louisiana stands on the brink of a significant economic opportunity—one that promises to reinforce our leading role in global agriculture while profoundly benefiting local communities. The proposed Greenfield Wallace Grain Export Facility is poised to enhance the Port of South Louisiana, increasing its already dominant status in grain exports by approximately 10%. This isn’t just growth; it’s transformational change that secures our agricultural future and bolsters our national food security.
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USDA Seeking Partners For Summer Food Service Program
For many families whose children receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch during the school year, summer can be a time of food insecurity. To combat this problem, each year the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) participates in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
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DeSoto Parish Man Arrested For Theft Of Timber
On March 26, 2024, Michael Whitaker of Mansfield, LA, was arrested for theft of timber following an investigation by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Forestry Enforcement Division.
In January 2024, LDAF Forestry Enforcement received a complaint of possible timber theft in DeSoto Parish.
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Tangipahoa Parish Man Arrested For Theft Of Livestock
On March 19, 2023, inspectors with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission arrested Mufid Thabatah of Hammond, Louisiana, for theft of 168 head of livestock.
The arrest was the result of a brand commission investigation that determined that on eight different occasions between September and November of 2023, 52-year-old Thabatah received livestock from a livestock market in Tangipahoa Parish but allegedly failed to pay for them in a timely manner.
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Attorney General Murrill Supports Ag Commissioner's Concerns On Net-Zero Banking Alliance's Impact On Agriculture & Food Security
Net-Zero agriculture would cut meat consumption in half, force Louisiana's 30,000 farm operations to switch to inefficient electric equipment, and require some eight million acres of farmland across our State to switch from nitrogen fertilizer to expensive and ineffective "organic" options.
That’s why Attorney General Liz Murrill is standing with the Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Mike Strain, along with other attorneys general across the country, in pushing back against the Net-Zero Banking Alliance that threatens our food security and the work of our farmers.
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Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction has Three Inductees in 2024 Class
Three individuals who have made contributions to advancing agriculture in Louisiana are the newest inductees into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction. One inductee, former North Louisiana Congressman and Physician Dr. Ralph Abraham served the largest agricultural district in the nation.
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LDAF's Livestock Brand Commission To Host Saddle Microchipping Event March 14
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission will host its next saddle microchipping event Thursday, March 14, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. It will be held at Sullivan’s Feed and Farm Supply located at 3236 Front Street in Winnsboro, Louisiana.
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LA Agriculture Hall Of Distinction To Induct Thee New Members March 7
A medical doctor and former U.S. congressman, a crop consultant with a weed science background and a longtime Southern University administrator are the latest inductees into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction. The induction will take place at the L’Auberge Hotel in Baton Rouge March 7.
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Strain Urges USDA To Aid Crawfish Industry
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) urges the federal government to aid Louisiana’s crawfish industry after an unprecedented drought.
On February 2, LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, DVM, wrote a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack asking that the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) and/or similar programs be properly funded and instituted to assist the crawfish industry.
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Officials Urging Louisianans to Use Extreme Caution Due to Dry and Windy Conditions When Lighting Anything on Fire
State officials are urging residents to be extremely cautious about lighting anything on fire after dry and windy conditions contributed to a record number of wildfires over four days. State Agricultural and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain said from Friday to Monday there were 124 fires in Louisiana.
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Mornings With Brian Haldane: Dr. Mike Strain
Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain joins Brian to talk crawfish prices, strawberry season and the news back from his recent trip to Cuba.
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Commissioner of Dept. of Agriculture & Forestry Talks Crawfish Prices, Outlook for Season
Crawfish lovers know that prices have been pretty high this season.
The summer drought and cold winter temperatures devastated the production of this year’s crop. Commissioner Mike Strain with the Department of Agriculture & Forestry sat down with KSLA on Tuesday, Feb. 27 to discuss the outlook for the rest of the season.
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US State Agriculture Officials Eye Cuba's Private Sector
The leader of an association of top U.S. state agriculture officials on Wednesday said his country might want to take advantage of reforms underway in Cuba, possibly through investments.
Commissioners from Louisiana, Indiana, South Carolina, Michigan and Montana all told Reuters at the cooperative they sensed Cuba was changing. They cited the emergence of more than 10,000 non-farm small and medium-sized businesses over the last two years, some linked to farm supply and food processing.
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Cuban President Receives Delegation from US Agricultural Sector
President Miguel Díaz-Canel received agricultural secretaries from several U.S. states and representatives of that sector visiting Cuba, of whom he stressed that he has always worked to find ways to break down walls.
It is a pleasure and a satisfaction to have them present in Cuba in such an important composition, said Díaz-Canel, quoted by the Granma newspaper.
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LDAF is Now Accepting Applications for Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Grant
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) is now accepting grant applications for the Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program (RFSI).
The LDAF will work in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)to award $4.6 million for equipment and infrastructure projects to Louisiana food and farm businesses, as well as other eligible entities including nonprofits, local government entities, tribal governments, schools, and hospitals.
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