Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Mike Strain asked U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack to fund the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees and Farm-Raised Fish program, or a similar program, to aid Louisiana crawfish farmers affected by drought and cold temperatures. Strain made the request in a letter dated February 2, 2024.
Read MoreAscension Equipment, a single-store dealer in Gonzales, La., announced Jan. 18 that John Deere had pulled its line from the store. The press release stated Ascension Equipment had been the last John Deere and Kubota dealer in the U.S. and has been in business for over 40 years.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter will hold an agritourism education meeting for people involved or interested in agritourism from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 23, at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station, 21549 Old Covington Hwy., Hammond.
Registration for the meeting will start at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 23.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter is partnering with USDA to offer the ASPIRE [Agricultural Sciences Professional Internships in Research and Extension] Program during the summer of 2024. Undergraduate students (from any college or educational institution, including LSU) are encouraged to apply for various 10- week paid summer internships. There are internships focused in animal science, horticulture, 4-H, nutrition, entomology and aquaculture.
Read MoreSome farmers are trying furrow-irrigated or row rice to see if they can use less water, a resource that is becoming more and more scarce in parts of the Midsouth.
P.J. Haynie and his family are growing row rice partly because their farming operation was not set up for growing conventional levee rice, but also because they’re part of a USDA pilot project aimed at using Climate-Smart conservation practices like row rice.
Read MoreCotton industry leaders Dave Ruppenicker, Drake Perrow, and Allen McLaurin were recognized for their contributions to the cotton industry during the annual meeting of Southern Cotton Growers and Southeastern Cotton Ginners Association Jan. 22 to 23 at the Westin Hilton Head Resort in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
Read MoreDr. Muhammad Rassel Parvej, Assistant Professor and State Soil Fertility Specialist, Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, is starting a biweekly Soil Fertility & Nutrient Management webinar series starting next month. It’s free and welcomes anyone (including students and RA) keen on delving into theoretical and practical aspects of soil fertility and nutrient management for row crop production.
Read MoreU.S. Soy complex exports (whole soybean, soybean meal and soybean oil) added $39.8 billion[1] to the U.S. economy in marketing year (MY) 22/23 on a volume of 67.6 million metric tons (MMT). The shining star: U.S. soybean meal exports broke records for both volume and value at 13.2 MMT and $6.91 billion, respectively.
“U.S. Soy exports in marketing year 22/23 were nothing short of extraordinary. A standout achievement was the record-breaking performance of soybean meal exports, reaching unprecedented volume and value levels,” said Steve Reinhard, United Soybean Board Chair and Ohio farmer.
Read MoreLots of excitement is in Lake Charles as the Southwest District Livestock Show and Rodeo returns to Burton Complex.
The rodeo starts Thursday evening, but livestock shows are underway today.
We caught up with some who are showing their animals, and they say it’s a lot of work, but the relationships they build and the friendships they make are the best part.
Read MoreFor the 75th time, thousands of residents from Louisiana descended on the nation’s capital for the Washington Mardi Gras.
One of those who attended the festivities was Queen Cotton LXIX Amelia Mickal.
Read MoreThe current projections for the 2024 crawfish season in Louisiana have been troubling for farmers and consumers alike as limited supply are expected to make prices soar on historic levels.
Some early prices for crawfish are already steep. James Karst sent Fox 8 a photo of a menu from Houma restaurant that offered a 10 lbs. crawfish special with one pound of potatoes for $139.99.
Read MoreAmerican Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on the passage last night of the Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act in the House of Representatives by a vote of 357 to 70.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for February 2024, which are effective Feb. 1, 2024. 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 MoreAll cattle and calves in Louisiana as of January 1, 2024, totaled 720,000 head, were down 4 percent from January 1, 2023. The calf crop for the full year of 2023 was 330,000 head, down 3 percent from last year. All cows and heifers that have calved, at 435,000 head, were down 2 percent from January 1, 2023; beef cows, at 428,000 head, were down 2 percent; and milk cows, at 7,000 head, were down 12 percent from 2023.
Read MoreThe Southern University Ag Center's Small Farmer Academy will host spring courses beginning in February at the Maurice A. Edmond Multipurpose Building, 14600 Scenic Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA.
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