Governor-elect Jeff Landry announced appointments to the Louisiana Department of Health, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and the Department of Children and Family Services.
Read MoreU.S. Representative Garret Graves (Louisiana) announced today that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is purchasing up to $36 million of Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic Wild-Caught Shrimp. This will alleviate pressure felt by Louisiana’s shrimp industry caused by natural disasters, higher fuel prices, labor and supply chain issues, and the effects of foreign governments flooding the market with illegally caught, foreign, farmed seafood. This purchase will also provide schools, food banks, and disaster-stricken households with another sustainable, nutritious source of protein.
Read MoreCloseouts fell another $10 deeper into the red for cattle feeders last week as losses totaled an average of $110 per head, according to the Sterling Beef Profit Tracker. Meanwhile, beef packers saw their margins improve $44 per head, pulling packer margins out of the red and $28 into the black. Cattle feeders have now seen a month’s worth of losses on closeouts.
Read MoreA free estate planning presentation will be offered on January 11, 2024, in the Union Parish Police Jury Meeting Room in Farmerville, Louisiana. Attorney Paul Spillers will provide valuable information on wills and trusts, asset protection, tax consequences, property ownership, and estate planning tools. Mr. Spillers is senior counsel at the Law Offices of Theus, Grisham, Davis & Leigh in Monroe, Louisiana. He specializes in estate planning and probate; litigation; oil, gas, and mineral law; taxation, and timber law. This workshop is sponsored by Trailblazer RC&D.
Read MoreTo manage johnsongrass, a noxious weed that crowds out cotton and sickens horses, farmers have tried herbicides, burning and hand-pulling. Now, researchers at University of California, Davis, have developed a more high-tech weapon against the invasive weed: artificial intelligence and machine learning.
Read MorePrior to and throughout 2023, the National Cotton Council (NCC) focused on policy development for the 2023 farm bill.
Through the NCC’s Farm Policy Task Force, the industry segments came together to develop recommendations for the new bill. The NCC has actively conveyed to Congress and the administration its priorities for a meaningful farm bill with an effective safety net and comprehensive risk management tools.
Read MoreAn ag economist says there was a tone shift from the Federal Reserve after it held interest rates steady for a third consecutive month. David Widmar, with Agricultural Economic Insights, says there have been some gains in the battle against inflation. “And then they signaled the possibility of three rate declines for 2024,” he says.
Read MoreCelebrating nearly three decades as an academic partner, the LSU AgCenter will present some of its top researchers as featured speakers in a group of conferences in late January.
Read MoreThe Louisiana 4-H Foundation Board of Trustees is welcoming two new members — a longtime 4-H volunteer from Tensas Parish and the CEO of one of the state’s largest agricultural equipment companies.
Read MoreThe worst drought Louisiana endured in decades brought concerns of significant declines in sugar tonnage this year at Cora Texas Manufacturing Co., but prospects now look brighter.
Rain and mild weather in mid-October fueled growth of sugarcane and a better outlook for the 2023 harvest, said Charles Schudmak, chief operating officer/secretary for Cora Texas in White Castle.
Read MoreUSDA officials want farmers to know that the deadline for a special loan assistance program is fast approaching. The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 included a provision to help borrowers who have taken extraordinary measures to continue making their Farm Service Agency loan payments. Those borrowers have until Dec. 31 to apply for assistance.
Read MoreAs the House of Representatives headed home for the holidays, Agriculture Committee Ranking Democrat David Scott fired a parting shot at Speaker Mike Johson. The Georgia Democrat says Johnson failed to begin farm bill negotiations with the Senate as he previously proposed.
Read MoreTwo foreign companies have signed agreements to build the first offshore wind farms in Louisiana waters.
Danish firm Vestas was granted nearly 60,000 acres off Cameron Parish and Mitsubishi-owned Diamond Offshore Wind was approved for a 6,162-acre area off Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes, the state Department of Natural Resources announced Wednesday.
Read MoreGet ready to sprout your creativity and curiosity during the inaugural Louisiana Ag Week, taking place March 18-22, 2024!
This week-long celebration isn't just about exploring the roots of agriculture – it's about celebrating its vibrant present and growing its future one seed at a time.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is hosting more than a dozen in-person and virtual workshops this winter for producers to learn about new and expanded livestock risk management products. The “Livestock Roadshow,” hosted by USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA), will highlight policy improvements based on feedback from America’s livestock producers as part of the agency’s broader outreach and education efforts
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