It hasn’t been that long ago that the only way to irrigate rice was to build a system of levees strong enough to keep water at a prescribed depth on a field until it was ready to be drained and harvested.
Fast forward to 2024 and rice farmers now have seven, eight or possibly even nine systems, depending on how you count them, for keeping their crops watered during the long Midsouth growing season.
Read MoreThe LDAF Student Internship Program allows students to gain valuable work experience in the fields of agriculture, forestry, and other related fields.
Students will have the opportunity to work full-time during June and July for eight weeks. Applications are being accepted from December 1 until February 28, or until all positions are filled. The selected Students will be hired to work in LDAF Divisions which include the Office of Management & Finance, Agriculture & Environmental Services, Animal Health & Food Safety, Forestry, Soil & Water Conservation, Agro-Consumer Services, and related areas.
Read MoreLouisiana’s sugar farmers and millers have been producing a reliable source of America’s favorite ingredient for centuries but so have our foreign competitors.
Our producers thrive in the face of adversity. We grow a profitable crop in nine months while the rest of the world has the luxury of a twelve-month growing season. We are some of the most efficient producers in the world and believe our farmers can compete with any farmer in the world.
Read MoreDeidre Deculus Robert was promoted to Director of State Operations for Rural Development.
Most recently, Deculus Robert served as State Director of Rural Development in Louisiana. There, she worked to support rural communities across Louisiana by administering programs for affordable housing, community facilities, and the business industry. Before that, she was Executive Counsel and General Counsel for the Louisiana Department of Transportation and the Southern University and A&M College System respectively.
Read MoreClick below for the market report from the latest Kinder Livestock Auction.
Read MoreAmerican Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the House and Senate Agriculture committees releasing title-by-title overviews of the 2024 farm bill.
“AFBF appreciates the House and Senate Agriculture committees’ progress to enact a new, modernized farm bill this year. We’re encouraged to see both proposals acknowledge that programs farmers and ranchers across the country use require additional investment in the face of falling commodity prices and increased inflation.”
Read MoreFarmers are invited to submit nominations for the 2025 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, which comes with cash prizes and bragging rights. This is the seventh year of the contest, supported by Nestlé Purina PetCare, which celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers.
The grand prize winner – Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year – will win a year’s worth of Purina Pro Plan dog food and $5,000 in prize money. The winner will be recognized at a Farm Dog of the Year award ceremony at the American Farm Bureau Convention in San Antonio, in January 2025.
Read MoreIf you visit C6 Farms website you see that their opening line is "We want to be your personal farmer". Who doesn't want to experience the art of a personal farmer? How awesome would it be for you to know exactly where your food comes from? C6 Farms said "Our goal is to provide our family and customers with the highest quality nutrient dense pasture raised meats & eggs, raised sustainably and transparently from our farm in Desoto Parish." We love that a family in DeSoto Parish is taking so much pride in feeding Northwest Louisiana.
Read MoreSeveral bills at the state legislature this session look to place stricter regulations on imported seafood.
Proponents say the bills would ensure consumers are getting a safe product and aid local fishing industries that are dying due to imported seafood.
Read MoreThe LSU AgCenter and College of Agriculture hosted the inaugural AgExcellence Awards Ceremony, led by Vice President and Dean Matt Lee and emceed by Avery Davidson from the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. The event recognized leaders whose contributions have significantly advanced the AgCenter's mission in public policy, industry, community partnerships and academia.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for May 2024, which are effective May 1, 2024. USDA 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 MoreUSDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation has announced the 2024 crop loan rate differentials for upland and extra-long staple cotton
The differentials, also referred to as loan rate premiums and discounts, were calculated based on market valuations of various cotton quality factors for the prior three years. This calculation procedure is identical to that used in past years.
Read MoreHeavy rain is likely, once again, and it looks like some of the hardest hit areas in recent weeks will once again bear the brunt of this next system. There will also be at least some potential for severe weather. Over the last 24 hours, there has been an uptick in forecast rainfall amounts, as well as severe weather parameters. I've included forecast rain totals through Thursday night.
Read MoreWater is both a blessing and a curse for farmers in the fertile soils of the Mississippi Delta. Quality, quantity and availability see silent shifts from year to year and add to the thrilling challenge of growing good crops in one of nature’s most unpredictable environments.
“Water is king,” said Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain. “What did Mark Twain say about water? ‘Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting’ – think about that.”
Read MoreThe Avoyelles Parish Farm Service Agency (FSA) office in Marksville is hiring a full time Program Technician (PT). The deadline to apply is May 14, 2024.
Duties include general office activities supporting FSA programs administered at the field level. Successful applicants must be reliable, have a professional attitude and enjoy working with the public.
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