Sometimes forecasting the weather isn’t an exact science. I’m sure every single one of you knows this. Thankfully, there are ways to share information that isn’t as black and white as, yes it will freeze, or no there won’t be a freeze.

Subtle differences in topography, higher than forecast soil moisture, or even a few clouds drifting by a location can impact a temperature by a few degrees. Here’s a graphic showing our current chance for temperatures to fall below freezing on Tuesday morning.

The Inaugural Louisiana Ag Week began today, March 18, 2024, and runs through Friday March 22.

To kick off the week, the Louisiana Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom (AITC) committee announced winners of statewide creative youth contests.

Rain will return to the state in widespread fashion on Friday. Along with that, there is a chance for at least a few severe storms. Storms will start off Friday morning over northern Louisiana, and slowly progress to the south through the day. These storms should exit the southern part of Louisiana Friday night. While I think there will be some severe storms, I don’t see this as a major rain event. It looks like most areas will see 0.5 to 1.5 inches of rain. 

The 2024 regular session of the Louisiana legislature begins on March 11th and extends 85 days until its adjournment on June 3rd. It will be Louisiana’s third legislative session of the year. The first session was a special session dedicated to congressional redistricting and closed-primary voting. The second session was also a special session but focused on law enforcement reform only. The third session just ahead is wide open when it comes to what bills lawmakers can file. The question here is; do you care?

A couple of waves of rain are going to move through Louisiana over the next 10 days. As is typical for this time of year, the threat for rain will be tied to the potential for some severe weather. When dealing with the whole state, it’s tough to say if this rain is needed or not at your specific location. For example, at my house in Alexandria, we had 1/2 inch of rain from the storms we had earlier this week. 30 miles southeast of where I live, over 5 inches fell. At my location, we could use the rain, while a short drive southeast was dealing with flood warnings earlier this week.

In just the few seconds it takes you to read this sentence, a farmer could become trapped in inescapable, knee-deep grain.

Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation (LFBF) partnered with Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation to host a series of grain bin safety workshops across the bayou state. Over a three-day span, over three hundred farmers and first responders were trained on the risks and safety precautions concerning grain bins.

In partnership with The Mississippi Farm Bureau, The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation is holding a grain bin safety and training workshop here at Cannatella Outdoors Farms.

This comes just two weeks after first responders recovered the body of a man who fell into a grain bin and died. Vincent Cannatella, owner of Cannatella Outdoors Farms says he’s farmed his entire life and accidents involving grain bins and silos can happen to the most experienced worker.

Louisiana Farm Bureau President Jim Harper announced he will not seek reelection to the position he’s held since June 2020.

“It is an honor to serve as president,” Harper said. “I am proud of the accomplishments Louisiana Farm Bureau has made in its 102-year history and that I was the organization’s leader for its centennial. This is not a decision I make lightly, but family comes first and that is where I must focus my energy in the future.”

Anyone who’s been on the hunt for boiled crawfish this year knows that it’s been harder than in the past. The lengthy drought of 2023 has led to diminished production and smaller crawfish. Combined with increasing operational, labor and transportation costs, it’s a tough time for farmers in the industry. And, it’s not just crawfish. Experts predict that the lingering drought effects will hamper production of other key Louisiana crops like rice, soybeans and more.

In situations like this, the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation (LFBF) stands ready to support farmers and advocate to lawmakers on the local, state and federal levels on their behalf.