Cultivating Change: NRCS and Producers Pave the Way for Sustainable Agriculture
On June 26th and 28th, NRCS was invited to participate in farm tours for the No-Till Organic Market Garden (OMG) NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant (CIG) project. The purpose of these tours was to collect soil samples and have discussions about soil health plans with producers who are committed to sustainable agriculture. The program supports a diverse group of small-scale, urban, beginning farmer and ranchers measuring their production over a three-year period with help from the NRCS. We visited several notable farms, including: James Price, 3P Farm; Samantha Starkey, Starkey Farmstead; Sierra Torres & Becks Hilliard, Cicada Calling Farm & Market; Donna Isaacs & Waylon Breaux, DeLaTerre Permaculture Farm; and Anthony Hoff, Heart & Harvest Homestead. They have all been embracing and implementing no-till and organic practices.
Read More
Louisiana Farm to School Institute Teams Kick-off Action Plans
The return to school for Fall 2024 marks the official implementation of action plans developed by four Louisiana school districts as part of the first cohort of the Louisiana Farm to School (F2S) Institute sponsored by Seeds to Success: The Louisiana Farm to School Program and the LSU AgCenter.
The Louisiana Farm to School Institute is a unique, year-long professional development program designed to support selected schools that are expanding and implementing effective farm to school (F2S) programs throughout their districts.
Read More
USA Rice Outlook Conference Registration Launches
The largest rice-specific event in North America is returning to the number one rice-producing state in the U.S. for what is sure to be the largest USA Rice Outlook Conference ever, and registration is now open.
The event that draws farmers, millers, merchants, end-users, exporters, academics, government officials, and special guests will take place December 8-10, 2024, at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Read More
LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station To Celebrate 75th Anniversary At Field Day
The LSU AgCenter Sweet Potato Research Station is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. The station’s upcoming annual field day will mark this milestone as well as share the latest news in sweet potato variety development, pest management and other aspects of research.
The event will take place Aug. 29. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m., with field tours to follow at 9. A sponsored lunch will be served at the conclusion of the program.
Read More
Walking And Talking Fields August 12, 2024
Things are looking pretty good…we’re in the middle of a dry spell right now, which is great for corn harvest, great for wrapping up a cotton crop right now. Soybeans are needing some water, but as long as we’ve got irrigation, we’ll hang in the game a little while. As mentioned, corn harvest is getting into full swing, most everybody’s going to at least get started this week, and there are those who have been started, primarily south of I-20 for the last 10 days or so.
Read More
Agriculture Commissioner: “Two to Three, Four, Five Years” Until Crawfish Industry Recovers
While crops like corn and rice are seeing a good harvest this year, Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain estimates it will take years for the state crawfish industry to bounce back from last year’s historic drought. Strain says the effects of the drought won’t be fixed in a day.
Read More
Farmers’ Almanac Winter Forecast for 2024-2025: Wet, Milder, Longer Season for Much of US
South Central states (Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, New Mexico) and Texas are forecast to have "mild with near to below normal precipitation," Duncan said.
The region is expected to get plenty of rain and wet snow in December, followed by a mostly fair January.
Read More
Louisiana Lawmakers Receive Update on State’s Federally-Funded Broadband Program
Broadband expansion into rural areas of Louisiana is a major priority for the state House Commerce Committee.
During the committee's meeting on Monday, the Louisiana office of broadband development and connectivity, or ConnectLA, discussed Granting Unserved Municipalities Broadband Opportunities 1.0 and 2.0. Both are grant programs intended to improve internet connection for the underserved and unserved statewide.
Read More
Will Campbell NIL: A Quick Look Into the Deals of LSU OT
The Campbells have a farm in Louisiana. Growing up on the farm, Will learned a lot about agriculture and the ways of the farm. Sunshine Quality Solutions, a John Deere equipment dealer that serves Louisiana and Mississippi, found their poster boy for their campaign in the Tigers OT.
Read More
Road to Market Development on the Rice Stuff
With the U.S. rice industry exporting about half its annual crop, market development is vitally important. Trade missions, trade servicing, and fostering relationships are a primary function of USA Rice’s international team.
Read More
A Louisiana Family Tradition
Ronald Rawls planted his first crop of cotton in 1979. Since then, his three sons Neal, Ryan and Chad have joined him in the operation as fourth-generation growers, and they have excelled at adopting new technologies and at working hard to keep growing the farm.
Read More
Crop Market Report - August 2024
This report contains supply and demand use estimates for the corn, soybean, rice, and cotton markets.
Read More
AgCenter Extension Interns Look back at Their Summer With Presentations and Celebration
Students, faculty mentors and parents filed into the Nelson Memorial Building on the LSU campus Aug. 8 to celebrate the completion of their summer internships through the LSU AgCenter and to share what they had learned.
Read More
Louisiana Crop Production Report: August 12, 2024
Louisiana corn for grain production is forecast at 82.3 million bushels, down 31 percent from 2023. Based on conditions as of August 1, yield is expected to average 185 bushels per acre, up 10 bushels from last year. Planted acreage is revised to 470,000 acres, down 40,000 acres from June 2024. Harvested acreage for grain is revised from 495,000 to 445,000 acres.
Read More
USDA Forecasts US Corn Production Down and Soybean Production Up From 2023
The Crop Production report issued by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) forecasted corn production down from 2023 and soybean production up from last year. Corn production is down 1% from last year, forecast at 15.1 billion bushels; soybean growers are expected to increase their production 10% from 2023, forecast at a record high 4.59 billion bushels.
Average corn yield is forecast at record high 183.1 bushels per acre, up 5.8 bushels from last year. NASS also forecasts record high yields in Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, South Dakota, Washington, and Wisconsin. As of Aug. 4, 67% of this year’s corn crop was reported in good or excellent condition, 10 percentage points above the same time last year.
Read More
