Five Dates To Watch In 2024
When lawmakers return from vacation next week, they will once again be tasked with passing 12 budget bills to keep government agencies running. In 2022, Congress approved all appropriations packages in one bill known as the “omnibus.” This time around, Republicans have insisted on voting for each appropriations package separately.
As part of the compromise reached in November to avoid a government shutdown, House Speaker Mike Johnson created two deadlines for Congress to pass new budgets.
Read More
FY '24 Farm To School Grants
The Patrick Leahy Farm to School Grant Program is designed to increase the availability of local foods in schools and help connect students to the sources of their food through education, taste tests, school gardens, field trips, and local food sourcing for school meals. Grants can launch new farm to school programs or expand existing efforts.
Read More
Rice Quality At Heat Of US Market Share Woes In Latin Ameirca
Southern U.S. rice farmers were cautioned to focus more on rice quality as the industry seeks to expand market share in Latin America and elsewhere. The caveat to this is understanding the word “quality” from the perspective of customers in Central and South America.
Read More
Ag Prescribed Burn Manager Class Set
Anyone wanting to become a certified Prescribed Burn Manager, or those wanting to re-certify as required every five years, should attend an Agricultural Prescribed Burn Manager Certification Class from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 11 at the Yambilee Building, 1939 West Landry Street in Opelousas.
Read More
Dog Trials to Start Off Annual Fur and Wildlife Festival Celebration
Downtown Cameron will be humming the next two weekends as the Louisiana Fur and Wildlife Festival — deemed the “oldest and coldest” Southwest Louisiana festival — gets underway.
The festival will feature parades, a gumbo cook-off, pageants, run/walks, dances, carnival rides and plenty of Cajun music.
Read More
One Local Business Gets Ahead of Crawfish Drought in Louisiana
Louisiana is the largest harvester of crawfish in the nation. There’s been a boiling uncertainty amongst some seafood businesses, as the state faces one of its driest seasons.
“The season will be a little shorter, so I’m going to encourage everyone when they’re available go ahead and get some,” said Mike Strain, Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture.
Read More
Citrus Greening Quarantine Expanded in Louisiana
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry have established a federal quarantine area for Huanglongbing, also known as HLB or citrus greening.
The quarantine is for Saint Charles Parish in Louisiana due to HLB detections in plant tissue samples collected in multiple locations during routine surveys and to prevent the spread of HLB to non-infested parts of the U.S., according to a news release.
Read More
Louisiana Farmers Hindered by Drought Through Winter
After a summer that resulted in an ongoing drought, Louisiana farmers are eager for a better year in 2024. They are dependent on rye-grass growth in pastures in the warmest months of the year, but it was not abundant this summer due to little rain.
“We still have yet to get enough rainfall,” said Ryan Yerby, a farmer in Grant Parish. “We’re currently probably 35 to 40 inches still behind where we need to be for the year.
Read More
Louisiana’s Rep. Letlow Introduces Legislation to Help Address Producer Challenges After Natural Disasters
Natural disasters like wildfires and hurricanes can cause millions of dollars in damage to ag operations.
To address some of the challenges of rebuilding after such disasters, Louisiana Congresswoman Julia Letlow introduced the Emergency Conservation Program Improvement Act and the Drought Relief Act.
Read More
USA Rice Joins National Black Growers Council Meeting to Celebrate Collaboration on Climate Smart Projects
In mid-December, USA Rice participated in the National Black Growers Council (NBGC) annual meeting that kicked off with opening remarks from Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland and Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris.
Objectives and updates were reviewed by NBGC Interim Executive Director Dr. Loston Rowe and NBGC Board Chair PJ Haynie III at the meeting’s outset followed by a full agenda of conference speakers and topics centered around the theme, “Honoring Our Past, Growing Our Future.”
Read More
The Fifth Flyer: January 2024
My top priority is hearing from Louisianans from all walks of life and bringing their stories with me back to Washington to advocate and find common sense solutions to the issues facing Louisianans every day.
While agriculture is the backbone of the Fifth District, ensuring our farmers and ranchers have the resources they need is critical for our communities - That’s why I’ve championed legislation for the Louisiana agriculture sector.
Read More
This Year’s Crawfish Haul is a ‘Waiting Game’ for Louisiana Farmers
There is a boiling uncertainty in an area of Louisiana dubbed the “Crawfish Capital of the World.”
Farmers across the state are worried about this year’s crawfish crop, wondering if the “mudbugs” will emerge from their underground burrows, which can run three feet or more deep.
Read More
Pevehouse Farms Announces Scholarship Opportunity For West Carroll Parish Students
Pevehouse Farms LLC has announced the establishment of the Pevehouse Farms endowed scholarship at Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College.
Pevehouse Farms says the scholarship is being created to encourage more students in northeast Louisiana to further their education at LSU.
Read More
In Tough Times, Cotton Acres Holding Steady For 2024
Here we go again. Stepping out into the unknown. Sticking our necks out to kickstart the new year’s cotton acreage projection game once more.
In reality, Cotton Grower’s track record for acreage projection has been pretty good for the past several years. And, if nothing else, it gives the industry something to ponder and/or poke fun of until the more esteemed scientific surveys from the National Cotton Council and USDA are released in the coming months.
Read More
Can These Temps Ruin a 2024 Crawfish Season in Louisiana
I have already invited myself to multiple crawfish boils. I am ready for my lips to burn because I went too hard on the spicy crawfish. I am prepared for the best reason many of us live in Louisiana, crawfish season.
The temperatures plummeted and many of us had never seen temps so low in the Ark-La-Tex. We were so focused on our homes and businesses not having pipes burst that we forgot about temperatures ruining our crawfish season.
Read More
