Three individuals who have made contributions to advancing agriculture in Louisiana are the newest inductees into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction. One inductee, former North Louisiana Congressman and Physician Dr. Ralph Abraham served the largest agricultural district in the nation.
Read MoreFirst South Farm Credit announced today that it will distribute $25.5 million in patronage refund checks to its member/borrowers in April. A patronage refund is a payment from a cooperative to a member/borrower based on its earnings and financial performance in proportion to the borrower’s use of the cooperative.
Read MoreThe WASDE’s March outlook for 2023/24 U.S. corn remains relative to last month. The season-average corn price for producers has been lowered to $4.75 per bushel based on observed prices to date.
The outlook for U.S. soybean supply and use for 2023/24 also remains unchanged for March. While soybean crush is unchanged, the soybean meal extraction rate has been bumped up slightly, and soybean meal exports are mostly higher due to lower domestic use. The U.S. season-average soybean price forecast stays unchanged at $12.65 per bushel.
Read MoreAt the National Farmers Union Annual Convention, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the finalization of a rule to align the voluntary “Product of USA” label claim with consumer understanding of what the claim means. Secretary Vilsack also announced USDA is awarding $9.5 million to 42 projects through the Local Meat Capacity grant program to expand processing options for the meat and poultry industry and new actions to ensure transparency and a fair and competitive market in the U.S seed industry.
Read MoreCongresswoman Julia Letlow (LA-05) announced she secured $37.39 million in community project funding that will directly go back to the Fifth District of Louisiana. In addition, hundreds of millions in programmatic funding will benefit the State of Louisiana in the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024.
Congresswoman Letlow requested and received funding for the Fifth District and State through the following subcommittees: Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies; Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies; Energy and Water Development and Related Agencies; Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies; Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies; and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.
Read MoreThe AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act has hit the magic number of voting co-sponsors it will need to ensure passage through the House of Representatives.
Sponsors of the House legislation, led by Congressman Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ-5th District), announced they had picked up the 218th voting supporter.
Industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) was legalized for commercial production in Louisiana under the supervision of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry in 2019. Following legalization of hemp, the LSU AgCenter Industrial Hemp Working Group (IHWG) was established to conduct research, establish production practices and perform extension activities for Louisiana.
Read MoreAgricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for the 2024 crop year have until March 15, 2024, to revise elections and sign contracts. Both safety net programs, delivered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA), provide vital income support to farmers who experience substantial declines in crop prices or revenues for the 2024 crop year.
Read MoreMore than 150 children put their knowledge of gun safety to the test at the southern regional Civilian Marksmanship Program shooting sports event Thursday afternoon.
The event, hosted by Louisiana 4-H Club, brought in sharp shooters from nearly 30 parishes in the southern region of the state.
Read MoreThis report contains the results from the 2023 December Agricultural and Row Crops County Agricultural Production surveys.
Read MoreIt’s estimated that around 30% of the nation’s beef herds are raised in the Texas panhandle. In the last two weeks, wildfires have already destroyed more than one million acres.It’s estimated that around 30% of the nation’s beef herds are raised in the Texas panhandle. In the last two weeks, wildfires have already destroyed more than one million acres.
Over in Assumption Parish, you’re looking at 80,000 pounds of crushed sugar cane earmarked for Texas and their ranchers.
Read MoreThe House Committee on Agriculture laid out a roadmap to relieve labor shortages that have seriously impacted America’s farmers and ranchers. The Agriculture Labor Working Group (ALWG) released its final report on how to improve the H-2A guest worker program. It includes more than 20 recommendations to streamline the program and make labor more affordable for farmers.
“We are losing farms in America at a rapid pace and there is no question that our broken workforce system is partly to blame,” said American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall.
Read MoreLouisiana 4-H recently hosted 22 teams from 10 parishes at the LSU Natatorium for the SeaPerch regional competition, a showcase for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM, programs.
SeaPerch challenges youth to build and engineer a submersible, remotely operated vehicle to complete a series of underwater challenges. More than 100 competed in this second year Louisiana 4-H has put on the event.
Read MoreThe 2024 regular session of the Louisiana legislature begins on March 11th and extends 85 days until its adjournment on June 3rd. It will be Louisiana’s third legislative session of the year. The first session was a special session dedicated to congressional redistricting and closed-primary voting. The second session was also a special session but focused on law enforcement reform only. The third session just ahead is wide open when it comes to what bills lawmakers can file. The question here is; do you care?
Read MoreOfficials and providers said Louisiana residents living in underserved or unserved areas will likely start to see results soon from a nearly $1.36 billion federal grant.
The Louisiana House Commerce Committee conducted a hearing on the state's broadband program, financed primarily with federal grants from the Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Program and American Rescue Plan Act.
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