Melanie Netterville Beavers grew up riding horses on the land she now farms in southern Tensas Parish. That’s where the seed was planted for a future she once only dreamed about.
“And I always thought, you know, how cool would it be to be the farmer?” she said.
As a young girl, Melanie had no idea how to make that dream a reality.
Read MorePresident Donald Trump's new tariffs raise questions for farmers across Louisiana, many of whom are concerned about their livelihoods.
Trump's sweeping new tariffs announced Wednesday have left Louisiana farmers like Donald Schexnayder with some uncertainty on what comes next.
Read MoreThe United States Department of Agriculture is following through on its promise to get funds into farmers’ hands quickly through the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program (ECAP), according to Louisiana Farm Bureau President Richard Fontenot. He expressed those sentiments in a letter he sent to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins.
Read MoreFarm Bureau means family for Henry County’s Emmanuel Bankston.
A passion for agriculture and heart for service set the foundation for Farm Bureau involvement that’s spanned three states — and three State Young Farmers Committees.
Read MoreAs we approach the 2025 regular session of the Louisiana legislature, beginning April 14th and ending June 12th, many people wonder when is the best time to connect with their legislator to educate them regarding issues important to agriculture. The answer is all year long. You should be talking to your legislators in their office in your district, in your churches, grocery stores, and your festival grounds any chance you get.
Read MoreLouisiana farmers, along with their counterparts across the nation, are urging Congress to pass a new farm bill this year, expressing concerns that the current safety net is inadequate to address rising costs. The urgency was palpable at the American Farm Bureau Convention in San Antonio, where attendees packed a session on the upcoming farm bill.
Read MoreToday is the Last Day to Apply for the Linda and Wayne Zaunbrecher Legacy Scholarship.
Linda and Wayne Zaunbrecher’s legacies have continued to empower the future of Louisiana agriculture.
Read MoreAt the outset of the 119th Congress, Congresswoman Julia Letlow has filed two pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening disaster assistance for livestock and crawfish producers and providing increased flexibility for farmers with soybean crops covered by federal crop insurance.
Read MoreWe are now about 5 days out from a potentially impactful winter storm that could affect the entire state. Here’s what we know so far.
First and foremost, it will get cold. Very cold. We could easily see lows in the teens in the northern third of Louisiana, with a hard freeze possible to the coast. There will be at least 3 nights where we see conditions like that, and it’s possible we could see even colder conditions if we end up seeing significant snow and ice.
Read MoreCongress recently passed a bill with very strong bipartisan support that includes a three-month continuing resolution funding the government to this March, plus a one-year farm bill extension, natural disaster aid, and agricultural economic assistance. Thank you to House Speaker Mike Johnson, who represents my district here in Louisiana, for avoiding a government shutdown and looking out for the interests of farmers nationwide.
Speaker Johnson’s staffers visited my farm last year, and it meant a lot that they heard what I had to say.
Read MoreFarm Bureau farmer and rancher members play an important role in our communities and our organization by serving on governing boards and committees at local, state and national levels. Several newly appointed volunteers will provide leadership beginning in 2025 as members of the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Promotion & Education and Young Farmers & Ranchers committees.
Duvall announced the appointment of the following members to the YF&R Committee for the 2025-2027 term beginning in March: Cleveland Jackson, Georgia, (beef cattle); Scot Schwieterman, Kansas (alfalfa hay, row crops, cereal grains); Rachel Duncan, Louisiana (soybeans, beef cattle, cut flowers); Cora Okkema, Michigan (dairy cattle); Dustin and Katie Wiese, Minnesota (beef cattle, hay, corn, sorghum, oats); Tommy Salisbury, Oklahoma (soybeans, milo, wheat, beef cattle); and Jonathan Quigley, Washington (tree fruit).
Read MoreAs you may have heard, Congress was finally successful late into Friday night in passing a Continuing Resolution that included many priorities we worked very hard to achieve. The House passed the measure 366-34-1 with all Louisiana members voting in favor. The Senate passed the resolution 85-11, Cassidy supporting and Kennedy opposing.
Read MoreCongress appears to have failed to reach a consensus Wednesday on a Continuing Resolution.
We're grateful to you, our grassroots members, for taking the time let your representatives in Washington, D.C. know Louisiana agriculture cannot be ignored.
Read MoreThis year, you can host a Thanksgiving feast for ten for relatively little money.
“In Louisiana, that’s going to cost you on average $45.84, which is still $3 lower than it was last year,” says Avery Davidson with the Louisiana Farm Bureau.
Furthermore, that’s considerably less than the national average.
Read MoreIn Baton Rouge on November 22, 2024, the Louisiana Legislature wrapped up a special session focused on tax reform, culminating in the approval of a substantial tax package. This legislative action is set to reshape the state’s tax landscape with significant reductions in some areas, increases in others, and the establishment of a permanent stipend for teachers.
However, the implementation of these changes is contingent upon voter approval of a crucial constitutional amendment in the upcoming election.
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