U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) met with farmers and others in Louisiana’s agricultural industry with U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), the highest-ranking Republican member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. They participated in discussions and tours regarding Louisiana’s agricultural needs, in anticipation of a future Farm Bill.

The senators went to the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation’s Baton Rouge headquarters to meet with officials with the Farm Bureau and various agricultural associations, including the American Sugarcane League, the Louisiana Cotton and Grain Association, Louisiana Rice Growers, the Louisiana Forestry Association, the Louisiana Loggers Association and the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation.

What a wild ride Beryl was for parts of Louisiana. The National Weather Service in Shreveport and Lake Charles issued a combined 93 tornado warnings over their Parish/County warning areas. Those weren’t all in Louisiana, but at least 12 tornado tracks have been verified across Louisiana. Rainfall totals were manageable, and in most cases, beneficial across the state. And now, it’s right back to summer in Louisiana.

Thanks to Buck Leonards and the staff at Louisiana Farm and Ranch for providing the digital edition of the latest issue.

Recently, there’s been speculation about whether there will be another special session of the Louisiana legislature in 2024. It brings to mind the question of how many licks it takes to reach the center of a Tootsie Pop, with the answer being three.

Interestingly, this legislative body has already gone through three sessions in 2024, and we are only halfway through the year. The legislators, who want to spend time with their families, are reluctant to return to Baton Rouge for another session. A second reason to not convene again is that the leges are exhausted from these three sessions, and the most obvious reason is, "for what?"

Twenty-four of Louisiana’s most poised and talented ladies representing various parishes competed for the coveted crown. Eager to represent the organization for the upcoming year, this year’s slate of contestants participated in multiple rounds of competition, which included both interviews and evening gown presentations.

Parks native Hannah Devall takes home a title at the 2024 Louisiana Farm Bureau Convention held in New Orleans.

What started out as Devall’s high school passion led her to win the Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet Contest which focuses on cooperation, teamwork and critical thinking.

All eyes are on Hurricane Beryl. Here’s how I see things going for Louisiana.

Beryl will likely maintain major hurricane status as it approaches Jamaica. There will be some weakening over the next few days, but it looks like a Jamaica landfall, or very close call will happen, causing some big problems there today. After that the forecast track takes Hurricane Beryl just south of Cancun and Cozumel sometime Thursday night. If that happens, Beryl would spend around 12 hours over land, and would likely weaken to a strong tropical storm, or minimal hurricane.

Many state Farm Bureau organizations are holding their annual meetings.

The Louisiana Farm Bureau just wrapped up theirs where everything from crawfish to row crops are discussed.

Aaron and Jamie Lee of Vermilion Parish have been named the 2024 Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award Winners, the highest honor given by the Louisiana Farm Bureau to individual farmers each year.

The Lees won the award during the organization’s 102nd Annual Convention here at the Marriott on Canal St. Thursday night during the Organizational Awards. The young couple are sixth-generation sugarcane, livestock, rice, and crawfish farmers who will now go on to compete for the national title in January 2025 at the American Farm Bureau convention in San Antonio, Texas.

The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation culminated the opening night of its 102nd Annual Convention with Vermilion Parish Farm Bureau capturing the President’s Award for the fifth straight year.

The President’s Award recognizes the parish Farm Bureau that excels in membership, advocacy and communications over the past year. Louisiana Farm Bureau President Jim Harper presented the award to Vermilion Parish Farm Bureau President Bryan Simon Thursday night at the New Orleans Marriott.