In an effort to better understand planting intentions ahead of actual planting, the USDA annually sends out approximately 80,000 surveys to farmers in the first two weeks of March. On Wednesday, March 31st , the USDA released their annual planting intentions report for major agricultural crops in the U.S. for the 2021/22 crop year.
Read MoreAfter a stressful year of dealing with the pandemic, some Louisiana youth still showed off their showmanship skills at the 86th annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center.
Junior, intermediate and senior champion showmanship awards were presented to exhibitors in each of the following animal categories: dairy cattle, beef cattle, miniature beef cattle, market swine, breeding swine, exhibition poultry, broiler poultry, sheep, dairy breeding goats, meat breeding goat and market goats. Awards also were given to exhibitors in the State Rabbit Show, which was held at the State Evacuation Shelter in Alexandria.
Read MoreAgMagic, an LSU AgCenter event that takes youth on an interactive journey through Louisiana agriculture, will be virtual this year.
The ag awareness event is typically hosted at four locations across the state, but COVID-19 restrictions have moved it online. In 2020, all in-person AgMagic events were canceled.
Read MoreLSU AgCenter beef cattle researcher Guillermo Scaglia has received a $500,000 grant that will fund a wide-ranging study of how different management practices affect cattle herds.
The five-year grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture will also be used to explore why small cattle operations are often reluctant to use proven practices.
Read MoreThe soil that supports crops and lies beneath our feet was the main topic of a soil health forum held at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station March 17.
The forum was supported by the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation and Natural Resources Conservation Service. The foundation awarded a grant to the LSU AgCenter to fund a four-year research project on reducing nutrient runoff from crop fields.
Read MoreEven though normal was not a word used much during the 86th annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show held recently at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales, Louisiana 4-H and FFA members were still rewarded for their hard work.
Five students were recognized for their achievements in their various livestock programs based on their 4-H portfolio or FFA application. The five awards are the Governor’s Award for a 4-H member and an FFA member 14 years old and older, the Superintendent of Education Award for a 4-H member and an FFA member 13 years old and younger, and the C.W. “Dub” Kennedy Award in Animal Science.
When I was growing up, the word alternative described the pop trends of the day. It has another meaning to me now. Organic, natural pesticides and fertilizers and native plants are an increasingly popular alternative to synthetic chemicals and fertilizers as well as the heavy use of non-native plants and practices.
Read MoreWet weather has stopped Louisiana farmers from finishing this year’s corn planting, but not before they got the majority of the crop in the ground. LSU AgCenter reporter Craig Gautreaux has this report from northeast Louisiana.
Read MoreLouisiana growers are expected to plant more acres to grain sorghum this year compared to previous years. Grain sorghum is a good option for dryland fields where productivity is marginal. It has a longer planting window and provides many benefits when used in a crop rotation with cotton and/or soybean.
Read MoreOne of the most important decisions producers must make when planting soybeans in Louisiana is planting date. Soybeans have the utility to be planted in early March to late June. This wide variation in planting dates potentially exposes seedling soybeans to a multitude of insect pests that affect both above and below ground plant structures.
Read MoreUSDA announced an $11.5 million research investment to help ensure America’s small and medium-sized farms become more profitable and improve the quality of life in American farm communities.
“Few groups are as resilient and as determined as American farm families,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This investment in innovative research will give these family farms the tools they need to be more sustainable, profitable and productive as they face agricultural and economic challenges.”
Read MoreIntegrating winter cover crops into an agricultural system is not new, but the potential for improved soil health and crop production have renewed producer interest over the past decade. According to a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture survey, cover crop acreage increased by 50% between 2012 and 2017 across the United States and includes expansion of acreage in the Mid-South. This has prompted university research to evaluate cover crops and soil conditions specific to that region. It has been well documented that winter covers can improve various soil properties. However, questions regarding their impact on crop yield still remain
Read MoreThe first planting of a planting date trial was sown at the Dean Lee Research Station on March 22, 2021. This research trial will also be planted at the Rice Research Station and the Macon Ridge Research Station in 2021. LSU AgCenter scientist from all three research stations will collaborate to evaluate the performance of soybean plots after planting from late March to mid-late June. The objective of the trial is to understand the effect of temperature and photoperiod for each region, maturity group, and planting date. In addition to yield data and timing of growth stages, fungicide efficacy and protein and oil content data will be analyzed to better understand how the environment affects soybean growth and development.
Read MoreForestry professionals attending the online LSU AgCenter 2021 Forestry Forum on Tuesday heard presentations about a wide range of topics, including estate and tax law, the basics of prescribed burns, controlling a pervasive wild plant, possible tax increases, forestry economics and selling timber.
Video presentations from the sessions will be available later for participants who registered for the events.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today an $11.5 million research investment to help ensure America’s small and medium-sized farms become more profitable and improve the quality of life in American farm communities.
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