Louisiana is lacking in small farmers. That's something Grow Louisiana is trying to change.
The program, returning after a yearlong hiatus, trains dedicated and budding farmers. It's free, lasts for a year, and encourages applications from farmers with less than 10 years of growing experience.
Read MoreLouisiana lost more than 2,000 farms between 2017 and 2022, driven by the continued nationwide trend of fewer but larger farms, a new federal report shows.
While the number of individual farms fell, the amount of land used for farming in Louisiana has remained roughly the same over the last five years.
Read MoreThe Louisiana agriculture industry lost one of its greatest champions when Ray Young died last month after more than half a century of service to the farming community. Yet his legacy lives on through the Ray and Dorothy Young Endowed Graduate Student Award in Field Crop Integrated Pest Management.
Read MoreUSDA and the National Cotton Council both released their initial acreage projections for U.S. cotton plantings in 2024. The variations in those projections reflect the uncertainty remaining among cotton producers as they finalize their 2024 plans in the face of economic, market, regulatory, and weather challenges.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is inviting grant applications from organizations to provide hands-on assistance to agricultural producers applying for Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) funding, which will lower energy costs and make energy efficiency improvements in rural areas.
Read MoreThe United States, one of the agricultural powers of the world, has the smallest number of farms — 1.9 million — since 1850, when there were only 31 states and four territories, said the USDA Census of Agriculture on Tuesday. Nearly four of every 10 farmers were over the age of 65 in 2022, when the data was collected, an abrupt surge from the 2017 census, when one in three farmers was retirement age.
Read MoreYouth from throughout the state will gather at the Maurice A. Edmond Livestock Arena from February 29 – March 2, 2024 to compete for a chance to be named grand champion during the Southern University Ag Center’s 81st Annual Livestock and Poultry Show.
Read MoreFeral hogs are trampling, digging and eating their way through a growing number of farms, causing more than $90 million worth of damage to Louisiana-grown rice, sugar cane and other crops each year.
Read MoreThe summer drought is having lasting effects on this season’s crawfish. The population is low, and the prices are high.
It’s not just mother nature that’s causing the price gauge, though. One local seafood retailer said foreign seafood imports have been ravaging the entire seafood industry for over two decades.
Read MoreAfter years of working in the hospitality industry, Ryan Anderson quit his job to start Little Moon Oyster Ranch.
“It takes a lot of care. It takes a lot of patience," Anderson said, “There’s [sic] a lot of scary times. There are a lot of rewarding times, but I think as long as you’re passionate and driven about something, you can usually find a way to make it work.”
Read MoreDuring a sometimes prickly House hearing on Wednesday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack urged lawmakers to buckle down and write a farm bill that does not cut SNAP or climate funds. Republicans on the House Agriculture Committee said the Biden administration has overlooked the needs of the large-scale farmers who produce the bulk of U.S. crops and livestock.
Read MoreJoin the Louisiana Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative on Friday, February 23, for an informative workshop on composting led by Grant Estrade, a seasoned composter with over 15 years of experience. The workshop will cover various aspects, including understanding material handling challenges, delving into the science behind composting, learning how to start composting on both small and large scales, understanding the necessary equipment for compost creation and spreading, and exploring the costs and benefits of composting.
Read MoreAbbeville residents have been expressing their concerns lately about the old Riviana Rice Mill. The mill has been standing for over a century and contractors have been seen removing tin from the main buildings next to the railroad track. This has left some residents worried that once the tin is removed, the entire structure will be torn down, leaving Abbeville with a large cement slab.
Read MoreLouisiana rice consultant, Rusty Elston, said his father, Willard Elston, made sure his children knew how to work beginning at an early age. “This is where the training for my career actually began,” Rusty said. “My father set the example and taught us to always do our best and be willing to go the extra mile.” The young boy took notice of this important lesson and has maintained that mindset through the years in every aspect of his life.
Read MoreCrawfish are a Southern delicacy that are always in high demand - but this year, they're in short supply. The crustaceans are hard to find right now due to a devastating drought in the region, and that's hurting a lot of wallets in Louisiana.
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