Wildfires that engulfed more than 50,000 acres of Louisiana forests during this summer’s record-breaking heat and drought dealt a blow of at least $71 million to the state’s timber sector, according to LSU AgCenter estimates.
That figure is expected to climb higher as wildfires continue to burn in some areas.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission will host its next saddle microchipping event on Thursday, November 9, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. It will be held at the State Fair of Louisiana located at 3701 Hudson Avenue in Shreveport, La.
Read MoreAs the US gears up for a winter heavily influenced by the first strong El Niño in years, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have released maps that offer insight into where snow could pile up.
Read MoreToday’s updated U.S. drought monitor shows Louisiana remains the epicenter for drought in the United States. State Climatologist Barry Keim says 99-percent of Louisiana is in some stage of drought.
Read MoreThe 2023 ArkLaTex Agricultural Council's Jr. Livestock Sale at the State Fair of Louisiana was a huge success. It's estimated that supporters spent more than $489,213 at the sale on Wednesday, Nov. 1. The Grand Champion Steer, raised by Guy Mark Haynes from Allen Parish, sold for $11,000. The auction is the culmination of months of hard work by thousands of students across the state involved in 4-H and FFA.
Read MoreEarlier this year, USA Rice President & CEO Betsy Ward announced she would retire after 18 years at USA Rice, 16 of them in her current role, and almost four decades advocating for U.S. agriculture and forestry in Washington, DC, and around the world. Peter Bachmann, USA Rice vice president of policy & government affairs since 2019, was named her successor by the Board of Directors on Tuesday.
Read MoreIf you think retail stores had Christmas decorations out too soon this year, wait until you hear how early Christmas tree farmers have to start planning.
These dedicated growers invest six to eight years nurturing their crop, and multiple factors during that time can influence the availability and cost of Christmas trees for consumers. As we approach the 2023 holiday season, Louisiana's Christmas tree market is not exempt from these challenges.
Read MoreIf you see handfuls of soybeans scattered about the field as you harvest they might not look like much, but small numbers can add up to huge losses quickly.
Read MoreOn patrol: a tenacious approach to controlling the smartest animals in the woods— feral hogs.
Read MoreAs a mother and a farmer, Lilli Voorhies has a lot on her plate in a good year. This year, with its extreme weather conditions — a late freeze in March and an exceptionally dry, hot summer — pushed her Lafayette farm to its limits.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction is still accepting nominations through Nov. 17 for its induction ceremony, which will be held March 7, 2024, in Baton Rouge.
Read MoreClick below for the market report from the latest Red River Livestock Auction.
Read MoreClick below for the market report from the latest Kinder Livestock Auction.
Read MoreBack in September, the updated statewide burn ban allowed each parish the ability to opt out of the ban if they chose to. With the cooler temperatures outside, many have concerns over whether the burn ban is still in effect in their area.
For the past couple of months, state and national entities met for several weeks to discuss how the state would move forward with the burn ban. One local parish is lifting its burn ban restrictions.
Read MoreSeveral parishes in northeast Louisiana have been marked eligible to apply for emergency loan funding by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Emergency loans can be used by producers recovering from natural disasters to meet various recovery needs including the placement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation or to refinance certain debts.
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