Louisiana rough rice stocks in all positions on August 1, 2024, totaled 2.10 million cwt, down 1 percent from August 1, 2023.
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The Southern University College of Agricultural, Human and Environmental Sciences (CAHES) will host its Welcome Week August 19 – 23, 2024 on the campus of Southern University.
The week’s theme is, “From Seeds to Success: Cultivating Innovation in CAHES!”
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The 2024 Farm Service Agency County Committee Elections will begin on Nov. 4, 2024, when ballots are mailed to eligible voters. The deadline to return ballots to local FSA offices, or to be postmarked, is Dec. 2, 2024.
County committee member4s are an important component of the operations of FSA and provide a link between the agricultural community and USDA.
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Louisiana is 33 million acres. Of those 33 million, there are six families, organizations, and foundations that are the largest owners of land in the Pelican State.
One of these landowners may surprise you.
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Governor Jeff Landry and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Secretary Madison Sheahan sent a letter to Martha Williams, Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), requesting the expansion of harvest opportunities for black-bellied whistling ducks (BBWD) for the sportsmen of Louisiana.
“As the presence of black-bellied whistling ducks continues to grow in Louisiana, so too should the harvest opportunities. Producers in southwest Louisiana have had to endure agricultural and economic losses due to this increase, and we cannot allow this to continue. Our state and LDWF are committed to finding a solution that benefits all— sportsmen, industry, and our economy,” said Governor Jeff Landry.
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The cotton market’s 67-cent price resistance continues to be tested day after day.
While carryover stocks are declining, the world major exporters – Brazil and the U.S. – have more than sufficient crops to fill the import needs of major cotton consumption countries. Weak demand continues to haunt the market, and the combination of these two factors threatens lower prices.
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It’s dry…we went from the end of July when we were trying to look for a break in the rains to now where we’re looking for a rain. We’re trying to finish out the last of these crops, and it’s not going easy.
It depends on where you’re at, on how the crops are looking…the late planted beans are looking really good, but this dry weather, as they move into pod filling stages, is really taking a toll on them. A really good rain would really set this crop up for a good finish.
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The urgent need to pass a five-year Farm Bill took center stage at the 39th International Sweetener Symposium in Seattle earlier this month, where farm leaders from the sugar industry gathered with lawmakers and policymakers to review the legislative and economic landscape.
With the Farm Bill extension scheduled to expire in the coming weeks, this year’s discussions were timely, and the key takeaway was clear: there is unity and momentum from both farm country and Capitol Hill for a Farm Bill that includes a strong U.S. sugar policy to support sugarbeet and sugarcane farmers and more than 151,000 American jobs.
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The Louisiana Department of Health issued a "do not use" water advisory for an area served by the Walnut Bayou Water System in Madison Parish after a water line break on Highway 603 near Verhagen Road resulted in drinking water being exposed to the chemical paraquat.
The exposure occurred as a farmer was filling a tank and the low pressure in the water line created a backflow of chemicals from the tank. Some customers have reported a strong chemical smell and taste in tap water following the exposure.
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Governor Jeff Landry announced the launch of the GUMBO 2.0 program. This program allows for the distribution of $1.355 billion in funding to support broadband access throughout our state. This initiative will expand broadband access to 140,000 locations—including 100,000 homes (60,000 of which are in rural parishes), 35,000 businesses, and 4,000 community anchor institutions such as schools, hospitals, and law enforcement agencies. GUMBO 2.0 will create 8 to 10 thousand new jobs, GDP is expected to increase by $1.3 billion, and $2 to 3 billion in new revenue will be generated for Louisiana companies.
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A Zachary woman harvested a colossal watermelon she had been growing for three months that weighs over 100 pounds.
The watermelon, which Jeanie Buell nicknamed Big Momma, grew to 111 pounds before being harvested on Sunday. During the three months the abnormally large melon grew, Buell said she had multiple visitors see the progress as "she grew and grew."
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting offers for more than 2.2 million acres from agricultural producers and private landowners through this year’s Grassland, General, and Continuous Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) signups administered by USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA). With these accepted acres, enrollment is very near the 27 million CRP acreage cap.
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U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday, Aug. 16, that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is funding 160 projects in 26 states to expand access to clean energy systems and increase the availability of domestic biofuels.
Friday’s announcement includes investments in California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
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The air was already steamy at 8 a.m. on an August morning, the sidewalk radiating heat waves as a crowd filtered into St. Joseph Cathedral in downtown Baton Rouge. Hundreds filed into the church, adorned in veils and athleisure wear, white robes and tennis shoes.
They were among thousands of Catholics who converged on the Mississippi River Aug. 14 and 15 for the Fête-Dieu du Mississippi. The two-day boat procession traveled down the river from Baton Rouge to New Orleans.
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Hundreds of Louisiana leaders gathered for the 19th Annual LegisGator Luncheon.
Sen. Mark Abraham and Rep. Troy Romero both were in attendance representing their districts in Southwest Louisiana.
Romero says Louisiana’s agriculture industry is number two in the nation and encourages lawmakers to continue to work to grow industry and rural development.
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