The Louisiana FFA is thrilled to announce an exciting raffle opportunity that is sure to get fans of agriculture and football alike on the edge of their seats. This unique fundraiser features a chance to win a one-of-a-kind New Orleans Saints XUV560E John Deere Gator, generously presented by Sunshine Quality Solutions.
Read MoreThe 2018 Farm Bill expired at midnight on September 30 as Congress continues its work to deliver a 2023 Farm Bill before the end of the calendar year. Much still remains uncertain on provisions that will be included in both the House and Senate versions of the omnibus legislation, which is slated to be the first trillion-dollar farm bill.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for October 2023, which are effective Oct. 2, 2023. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.
Read MoreEven with officially two months left in hurricane season, State Climatologist Barry Keim said if we can get through the next few weeks without a named storm in the Gulf, it’s highly likely Louisiana will be unscathed this season. Statistically, the latest storm on record to threaten the Bayou State was Halloween 28 years ago.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter and the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture have received a nearly $800,000 grant to bring drone education to high school students. Louisiana 4-H STEM Coordinator Brian Gautreau says the training will provide students with knowledge about how drones and other technologies are used in agriculture.
Read MoreYouth across the nation are celebrating National 4-H Week Oct. 1-7. This year, 4-H is focusing on identifying solutions to eliminate the opportunity gap that affects 55 million kids across America.
Read MoreCommercial citrus growers have dwindled over the past few decades in south Louisiana, where farmers have had to battle hurricanes, flooding, invasive insects, freezes and drought to keep their groves alive.
The latest hurdle comes from a slow-moving threat — a mass influx of salt water from the Gulf of Mexico that is creeping up the drought-stricken Mississippi River. Not only is the saltwater intrusion threatening drinking water supplies for communities, but it can also kill citrus seedlings.
Read MoreThe August milk margin triggered the eighth consecutive payment for dairy producers who obtained Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) for the 2023 program year. August’s income over feed margin is $6.46 per hundredweight (cwt.) with projected DMC payments totaling $120 million. To date, including the projected August payments, dairy producers have received more than $1.2 billion in much needed economic support for 2023 and margin forecasts indicate the likelihood of more to come before the end of the calendar year.
Read MoreThe growth of soybean plants consists of vegetative and reproductive stages. The vegetative stages begin with emergence and are described by the development of the cotyledons and leaves. The reproductive stages begin with the onset of flowering and are described by the development of the flowers, pods and seeds.
Read MoreLate last week, the Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act was introduced in both the House and Senate establishing a joint task force on agricultural trade enforcement between the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and signaling more engagement with Congress and the private sector on the development of agricultural dispute priorities.
Read MoreThis report contains the results from the 2023 September Agricultural and September Grain Stocks surveys.
Read MoreIn general, places don't get much wetter than Louisiana. Much of the state is wetlands, and warm, humid air regularly blows in from the Gulf of Mexico, often bringing thunderstorms. And, most notably, the Mississippi River Basin carries water from 31 states and 2 Canadian provinces through Louisiana.
However, over the past few years the state has been much drier than usual; Louisiana has been cycling in and out of drought since 2020.
Read MoreLouisiana, the state that produced the largest amount of sugar in the United States last season, kicked off the harvest of the new crop expecting losses as drier-than-normal weather in the second half of this year hurt sugarcane development.
The Alma Mill in Lakeland, southeastern Louisiana, started operations Wednesday, and other mills in the state are expected to follow through next week, said Kenneth Gravois, sugarcane specialist at the Louisiana State University.
Read MoreThis Secretarial natural disaster designation allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts.
Read MoreCongressman Clay Higgins (R-LA), a staunch advocate for Louisiana's agricultural community, and Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) introduced the Prioritizing Offensive Agriculture Disputes and Enforcement Act. The bill identifies trade barriers to the United States agriculture exports and develops strategies to enforce violations of trade agreements.
The initiative enhances Congressman Higgins' ongoing efforts to support Louisiana's unique agricultural needs in the Farm Bill.
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