Sugarcane Suffers from Hurricane Francine, but the Season Isn’t Over Yet
Kids growing up on farms in southern Louisiana date themselves according to hurricanes and sugarcane variety releases, Louisiana State University sugarcane specialist Kenneth Gravois jokes. 2024 will be known as the year of Hurricane Francine, and hopefully only Francine, as sugarcane producers race tropical storm season to finish out harvest with minimal crop damage.
Hurricanes are not a new obstacle to sugarcane production. The very nature of a tropical crop both harvested and planted during hurricane season demands hardiness.
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Louisiana Crop Production: October 11, 2024
Louisiana corn for grain production is forecast at 84.1 million bushels, down 1 percent from September 1 forecast and down 29 percent from 2023. Based on conditions as of October 1, yield is expected to average 189 bushels per acre, down 2 bushels from last month but up 14 bushels from last year. Harvested acreage for grain is estimated at 445,000 acres, down 235,000 acres from 2023.
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29th Annual SugarFest Celebrates Agriculture And Louisiana History
Over 200 guests immersed themselves in Louisiana history during the 29th annual SugarFest at the West Baton Rouge Museum on Sunday afternoon.
Local artists were creating projects on site while others were making drinks from fresh sugar cane. Executive director of the West Baton Museum Angelique Bergeron says this year was a celebration for the community.
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New PR Professional Joins ASCL Staff
The American Sugar Cane League has hired Cheryl Michelet who will be the next public relations director in the organization. She will work closely with Sam Irwin who recently announced his retirement from the League in February of 2025 after 13 years of service.
Michelet is the CEO and founder of Michelet Strategic Communications and most recently served as the director of communications for BREC, the East Baton Rouge Parish Park system.
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The Growing Importance of a 2024 Farm Bill
Over the past two years, Congress has held numerous hearings that have documented a brewing financial crisis caused by falling commodity prices, high input costs, and tightening farm credit. Members have heard from farmers and ranchers across the country about the need for a new Farm Bill. Now, it’s time for Congress to act. Waiting would be a mistake.
I was the chief economist at the Department of Agriculture when the last farm bill was written and saw firsthand the impacts on our agricultural and food system caused by the changing climate, a trade war, and a global pandemic.
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Spooky Tales of No Chocolate in Trick-or-Treat Baskets? Look to Cocoa Shortage… Not Sugar
The volatility of the cocoa market has led to some truly spooky headlines over the past year, including cautionary tales of candy shortages. It’s inevitable that these headlines will rise from the dead again this Halloween and opponents of U.S. sugar policy may choose to take this opportunity to take a stab at sugar producers.
But if your Halloween basket is light on chocolate this year, it’s cocoa that’s the culprit – not sugar.
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How Did Sugarcane Harvests Look After Hurricane Francine?
Hurricane Francine’s winds knocked over some sugarcane stalks but did not ruin the harvest for most Acadiana sugarcane farmers.
Eddie Lewis III, a 6th generation sugarcane farmer from Youngsville, said their fields faired Francine.
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Pest Management Strategic Plan For Sugarcane Technologists
You are invited to participate in the upcoming Workshop for the Pest Management Strategic Plan for Sugarcane in the American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists (ASSCT) – Louisiana Division Meeting to be held February 4th-5th in Baton Rouge, La.
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USDA Announces Fiscal Year 2025 Sugar Loan Rates, Allotment and Marketing Allocations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announced sugar loan rates for crop year 2024 (fiscal year 2025).
USDA offers commodity loans to processors of sugar beets and domestically grown sugarcane to provide interim financing to producers so that sugar can be stored after harvest when market prices are typically low and then sold later when price conditions are more favorable.
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As Assumption Parish Kicks Off Sugarcane Harvest, Sheriff Warns Of Foggy Roads, Heavy Machinery
The sugarcane harvest begins today in Assumption Parish and surrounding areas, and officials are advising motorists to stay alert during the first few days of the harvest.
Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon said that there will be an increase in machinery and cane haulers using the highways to transport their products to market over the next few days. Falcon said that drivers can also expect foggy conditions for the first few days of the harvest, asking all to practice extra caution.
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Ranchers, Sugarcane Farmers Recovering from Hurricane Francine
Many were left without power and others were devastated by flood waters and damaging winds after Hurricane Francine made landfall earlier this month. This storm was a major setback for cattle ranchers and sugarcane farmers and left them with weeks of additional work.
Cattle ranchers Colleen Landry and her fiancé Cody Batiste operate H&M Ranch in Terrebonne Parish. Despite their pasture being flooded by Hurricane Francine, the couple had no choice but to head out to check on their cattle.
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Flattened Fields From Francine: How Growers Deal With The Damage
Louisiana farmers are no strangers to the aftermath of a hurricane, but damage to sugarcane from Francine will make this year’s harvest season more challenging.
Sugarcane is Louisiana’s biggest row crop, with a $4 billion economic impact on the state. Winds from Francine tore through several parishes, including Assumption, where Rodney Simoneaux grows and produces 1,600 acres of sugarcane on his family farm.
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LSU AgCenter Sugarcane Expert's Travels Lead Him Back To The Crop That Started It All
Taking the place of a 40-year veteran of the Louisiana sugarcane industry is no small task, so when LSU AgCenter plant pathologist Andre Gama replaced longtime researcher Jeff Hoy, he knew he had big shoes to fill. Due to his extensive travels, Gama’s own shoes were well worn, so he was up for the challenge.
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LSU AgCenter Experts Surveying Hurricane Damage to Sugarcane, Soybeans
Sugarcane growers in south Louisiana were making preparations for the upcoming harvest season when Hurricane Francine came ashore last week, bringing winds that knocked their crop over and heavy rains that flooded fields that were already saturated from recent rainfall.
Now, farmers in several parishes of Louisiana’s cane belt are waiting for things to dry out and for the crop to stand itself back up. With a few days of sunny weather in the forecast, they’re optimistic they will soon be back on track.
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Sugarcane Farmers are Looking to Rebound after Hurricane Francine
Sugarcane farmers across Louisiana are grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Francine, which left fields battered and cane stalks bent in its wake.
In Brusly, Drew Masciz expressed optimism despite the visible signs of damage to their fields.
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