Volatility will continue to rule the cotton market in 2023 with China remaining the dominant force when it comes to demand.
Speaking at the annual meeting of Southern Cotton Growers/Southeastern Cotton Ginners at the Marriott Myrtle Beach Grand Dunes in Myrtle Beach, S.C., Cotton Incorporated Senior Economist Jon Devine said volatility in prices, volatility in supply and demand, and uncertainty about choppy business conditions in each stage of the supply will impact the market.
Read MoreTwelve new commercial cotton varieties will be available for cotton producers in 2023. It’s a diverse showcase featuring increased yield potential, higher quality and new technology.
Read MoreThe Summit will provide an opportunity for agricultural producers and industry professionals to gather and exchange ideas about precision agriculture best practices and techniques to be incorporated into real-world use on today’s farms.
Read MoreU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack issued secretarial disaster declarations for an additional five Louisiana parishes due to excessive rains. Those parishes are Bossier, Caddo, Grant, Rapides and West Carroll.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service today announced it will offer $41 million through the 2023 Wood Innovations Grant and 2023 Community Wood Grant programs to spark innovation and create new markets for wood products and renewable wood energy.
Read MoreFrom the fertile soils of its farmlands to waterways that are crucial to commerce, Louisiana’s natural resources are key to the success of agriculture — and those involved in the industry have a duty to protect them, Gov. John Bel Edwards told a luncheon crowd of farmers, scientists and others Jan. 31.
Read MoreThe Biden administration says it plans to transform the food system to create a more competitive agricultural economy with new and better markets, and more resilient farms and ranches. In the recent news release, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack underscored the administration’s vision and efforts to create an economy where the wealth and opportunities created in rural America stay there.
Read MoreWeeds are the largest economic threat to agriculture as a whole, whether in row crops, aquatics, rangelands or pastures. In Louisiana, the same conditions that help crops flourish also bring weeds. The long growing season, warm weather and high levels of precipitation allow weeds to emerge and set seeds over longer periods of time. A wide variety of soil types and agricultural systems also means a wide variety of weeds.
Read MoreThe 100th anniversary of the American Sugar Cane League has drawn to an end and what a year it has been.
We celebrated the centennial of the League’s birth in March at a big gala celebration at the Baton Rouge Hilton that was very well-attended and proceeded into the farming calendar with plenty of optimism. As the spring and summer months rolled around most of the cane belt escaped the drought issues that affected other agricultural areas of Louisiana and our crop looked promising.
The grinding season started smoothly the week of September 11 and right away, sugar levels were exceptional. Factor in that no storms had hit Louisiana when the hurricane season ended November 30 and the entire cane belt felt that 2022 could be a record-breaking year. Cold weather did strike in early November but the effect on sugar recovery was minimal. However, a hard freeze at Christmas time, when about 15% of the crop was still unharvested, was worrisome.
Every production year in sugarcane has its challenges. In 2021, farmers in the southeastern cane belt were hit hard by Hurricane Ida and their production numbers were negatively affected. For the 2022 crop, producers in the more northern and western areas, with cane in the field after the start of the new year saw crop deterioration as a result of the Christmas freeze.
Obviously, there’s no perfect cane season but the Louisiana cane industry has always been resilient and manages to work through adversity to provide a safe and stable supply of domestic sugar to the nation.
We produced more than two million tons of raw sugar this season. That’s a phenomenal number. We’ll know more at our annual meeting on February 7 at L’Auberge Casino and Hotel.
The League moves into its 101st year and will help guide the sugarcane industry backed by a strong research program, a strong national sugar policy and an engaged membership of innovative producers.
Read MoreAfter serving nearly two years as the U.S. deputy secretary of agriculture, Dr. Jewel Bronaugh said that she is stepping away from the role to be able to spend more time with family. Her departure will happen in the coming weeks.
Read MoreMovement in cotton benchmarks was mixed over the past month.
Despite relatively wide intraday changes, movement in the March NY/ICE contract, values were constrained within the range between 79 and 89 cents/lb that has held them since early November.
Prices for the December NY/ICE 2023 contract, reflecting market expectations for the 2023/24 crop year, have followed a gentle upward trend defined by a series of higher lows. That trend pulled prices up from 75 cents/lb in early November to values over 80 cents/lb.
The A Index was stable over the past month, holding to levels near 100 cents/lb.
It’s decision-making time for Louisiana rice producers, and researchers at the LSU AgCenter offer a bevy of tools to help them figure out what, when and where to plant.
AgCenter extension agents and faculty members hosted rice production meetings throughout the state’s southwest region including Welsh on Jan. 3, Vidrine on Jan. 4, Crowley on Jan. 5 and Abbeville on Jan. 10.
Read MoreAmid a sweet potato season hit hard by volatile weather patterns, the LSU AgCenter added a new researcher to focus on the management of diseases in Louisiana’s most lucrative food crop.
Imana Power was appointed in September as an assistant professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology. She is gearing her work toward developing disease resistance, producing “clean” plants and minimizing cultivar decline in sweet potatoes.
Read MorePeople interested in becoming a Louisiana Master Farmer can take the first step toward certification by attending one of five upcoming training sessions scheduled for locations across the state or completing a new online module.
These trainings comprise the first phase of the Louisiana Master Farmer Program, which aims to improve agricultural productivity and sustainability. The second phase requires participants to attend a field day or workshop, and the third phase requires them to develop and implement comprehensive conservation plans for their farms.
Read MoreRecord-high egg prices are making headlines right now, but when can consumers expect some relief? Oklahoma State University Extension specialists say several factors are to blame for the significant price spike, and the sticker shock is expected to continue through the first quarter of 2023.
“At this time in 2021, eggs were $1.47 a dozen, in 2022 they were $1.93 a dozen and today we’re still at $4 a dozen,” said Rodney Holcomb, OSU Extension specialist in food economics. “The line chart just goes straight up.”
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