Jay Grymes Named Louisiana State Climatologist
Jay Grymes, chief meteorologist for WAFB-TV and interim Louisiana state climatologist since February, has been named the permanent state climatologist, effective Aug. 1.
Grymes recently announced he is retiring from WAFB this month after nearly 30 years with the station and joining the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, or GOHSEP, to assist the state with emergency response and mitigation. In addition, as the state climatologist, he will direct the operations of the Louisiana Office of State Climatology, housed at LSU.
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New DOL Rules for Seasonal Agricultural Workers: What Employers Need to Know
On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) implemented a new final rule to enhance protections for agricultural workers, both American and foreign, particularly those employed under H-2A status. This rule strengthens enforcement measures to ensure compliance with federal labor laws, boosting worker protection obligations in several key areas.
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Kaplan High Graduate Wins Farm Bureau Crown
Twenty-four of Louisiana’s most poised and talented ladies representing various parishes competed for the coveted crown. Eager to represent the organization for the upcoming year, this year’s slate of contestants participated in multiple rounds of competition, which included both interviews and evening gown presentations.
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State Officials Considering Emergency Declaration as Bark Beetle Concerns Grow
Concerns are growing statewide over a bark beetle infestation.
Trees, especially pines, are vital to Louisiana’s economy. Here in Southwest Louisiana, Vernon, Beauregard and Allen parishes contain miles and miles of pine tree forests and farms important to their economy.
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Livestock Brand Commission Agents Looking for Missing Donkey near Natchitoches
A donkey named "Speckles" was reported missing Friday evening near Natchitoches.
Owners have made several efforts to locate “Speckles”, but so far all attempts have been unsuccessful. “Speckles” could be in the area of state Highway 1, White Oak Lane, Chinquapin.
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Parks Woman Wins at 2024 Louisiana Farm Bureau Convention
Parks native Hannah Devall takes home a title at the 2024 Louisiana Farm Bureau Convention held in New Orleans.
What started out as Devall’s high school passion led her to win the Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet Contest which focuses on cooperation, teamwork and critical thinking.
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Louisiana to Address Beetle Infestation Threatening Timber Industry
In the coming days, the state’s House Emergency Beetle Subcommittee of the House Committee on Agriculture is scheduled to host its first meeting at the state capitol. The panel is set to convene on July 9, and will address the devastation of Louisiana’s forest industry due to an infestation of beetles.
In 2023, the LSU Agriculture Center reported that 50,000 acres of forests in the state were burned due to wildfires last summer, costing $71.4 million.
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Level 2 Climate Smart Cotton Program Enrollment Opens
Level 2 Climate Smart Cotton Program enrollment is open to U.S. cotton growers. The program, led by the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, gives Level 1 growers the opportunity to receive additional financial support for implementing Climate Smart Practice Changes into their operations.
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Sugarcane Field Day To Be Held July 17 In St. Gabriel
The LSU AgCenter will hold its sugarcane field day Wednesday, July 17, at the Sugar Research Station in St. Gabriel.
The day will begin with a field tour covering multiple topics from AgCenter specialists.
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Rice Farmer Elected Louisiana Farm Bureau President
On Sunday, fourth-generation rice farmer Richard Fontenot of Ville Platte was elected the 13th president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau.
Fontenot, who in addition to rice farms soybeans and crawfish, succeeds Jim Harper of Cheneyville, in leading the more than 100-year-old organization.
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LSU Researchers Discover 'Swamp Power' Preserved Ancient Underwater Forests
The ancient underwater forest about eight miles off the coast of Gulf Shores, Alabama, is known as a time capsule from the last ice age—and for the first time, researchers understand why. Chemical and pollen analyses found the bald cypress trees were buried in sediment from swamp and marsh ecosystems, like those in southeastern United States today. Such low-oxygen environments helped preserve the wood, which is more than 60,000 years old and grew on land at a time when sea levels were much lower than they are today.
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The Farmer's Forecast: Watching Beryl
All eyes are on Hurricane Beryl. Here’s how I see things going for Louisiana.
Beryl will likely maintain major hurricane status as it approaches Jamaica. There will be some weakening over the next few days, but it looks like a Jamaica landfall, or very close call will happen, causing some big problems there today. After that the forecast track takes Hurricane Beryl just south of Cancun and Cozumel sometime Thursday night. If that happens, Beryl would spend around 12 hours over land, and would likely weaken to a strong tropical storm, or minimal hurricane.
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SU Ag Center and College of Ag Awarded Over $1 Million in USDA Capacity Building Grants
The Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center (SU Ag Center) and the College of Agricultural, Human and Environmental Sciences (CAHES) have been awarded three capacity building grants through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) 1890 Institution Teaching, Research and Extension Capacity Building Grants Program.
This program aids 1890 historically black Land-Grant Universities in building capacity in the areas of teaching, research, and extension activities, which include enhancing curriculums and faculty development, student recruitment and retention, research enhancement, and extension program development.
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AFBF Responds To Milk Marketing Reform Proposals
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on USDA’s proposed amendments to all 11 Federal Milk Marketing Orders. AFBF has been calling for FMMO reform since 2021 and convened a successful first-of-its-kind industry-wide forum in 2022.
“We appreciate that USDA held this hearing, recognizing some of our concerns related to milk pricing. We are pleased with the intent to return the Class I skim milk price to the ‘higher-of’ formula as we called for. That said, we’re disappointed in changes that will benefit processors without regard for producers at a time when dairy farmers are struggling and many have gone out of business. USDA missed opportunities to improve and update price formulas.”
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High School Students, Teacher Learn About Agriculture At Camp CHISP
A group of high school students and teachers from Baton Rouge recently wrapped up a two-week camp that had them exploring crop fields, laboratories and research stations alongside LSU AgCenter scientists.
Six students and four teachers from Woodlawn High School, Baton Rouge Magnet High School and Arlington Preparatory Academy participated in the inaugural Camp CRISP from June 17 to 28.
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