Roughly 200 residents in Madison Parish remain under a “do not use” water advisory after a rural water system was contaminated with a highly poisonous herbicide last week.
State health officials are also asking residents in the affected area near the Mississippi River west of Vicksburg to thoroughly flush their tap water systems.
Read MoreHave a dead tree in your yard from the dry summer last year? It could be infested with beetles, making it more likely to fall. Lawmakers are looking for an emergency declaration to get people funds to remove dangerous trees before that happens.
After the drought of 2023 that cost the state millions of dollars in agricultural losses, more than 12 million trees across the state are dead because of it. Those dry conditions make the perfect home for the ips beetle to dig into the bark, further weakening the tree.
Read MoreFarmers, consultants, and industry experts gathered on August 15 at the new Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center in Harrisburg, Arkansas, for the annual Horizon Ag Arkansas Field Day. This year’s event included updates on the new rice station, row rice in Clearfield, state reports, introduction to Horizon’s new breeding program, staff presentations on the success of high-yielding rice varieties like CLL18 and CLL16, along with updates on the strong performance of new lines PVL04 & CLL19.
Read MoreThe sound of leaves crunching underfoot follows Cakey Worthington as she makes her way into a forest of pine and oak trees in the Atchafalaya Swamp. She stops at a rebar marker placed in the ground then walks up to a tree nearby.
“We come back every five years to remeasure all the trees in this location,” she said, cicadas singing nearby.
Read MoreThe East Baton Rouge Parish School System has announced the creation of an agriculture curriculum to guide students toward career opportunities with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The opportunity will give EBRPSS students access to a variety of programs designed to provide hands-on experience and industry-specific training. Westdale Middle School, which has its own aquaponics lab on campus, will be one of the select schools in the district to offer this opportunity to its students. District leaders are still determining when the curriculum will be implemented.
Read MoreMeet Kaitlyn, a determined single mother from rural Louisiana whose dream of owning a home became a reality through the USDA Rural Development's Section 502 Direct Loan Program. Kaitlyn envisioned providing her son, Tyrin, with the comfort and stability of a home of their own after facing the unimaginable loss of her fiancé shortly before Tyrin's birth. Her dream then became even more poignant.
Kaitlyn's journey to homeownership was driven by her desire to offer her son a better life. "I have wanted to own my own home since I knew I was going to be a mother," she shares. "I wanted my son to enjoy a yard and home that was ours." Her dream came true eight months ago when they moved into their new home. The transition from a cramped apartment to a spacious, welcoming house has been transformative for both mother and child.
Read MoreCity Park Conservancy (CPC) and Grow Dat Youth Farm finalized a cooperative endeavor agreement (CEA) to keep urban farming at its current New Orleans City Park location for years to come.
“We appreciate the collaboration with Grow Dat and board support to develop this agreement and keep urban farming in the Park,” said City Park Conservancy President and CEO Rebecca Dietz.
Read MoreAs we approach this critical election season and remainder of the 118th Congress, there are numerous issues vying for the attention of voters and policymakers alike. Among them, the upcoming farm bill stands out because it holds profound implications for our nation’s agriculture, food security and rural communities.
As a member of the agricultural community, I understand firsthand the essential role this bill plays in sustaining the backbone of our food system and supporting the livelihoods of countless families across the country.
Read MoreHave you participated in our Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) in the last three years? If so, we want to hear from you!
To continually improve our flagship conservation program, we're asking our EQIP customers to participate in a survey.
Read MoreLouisiana rough rice stocks in all positions on August 1, 2024, totaled 2.10 million cwt, down 1 percent from August 1, 2023.
Read MoreThe 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!”
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreLouisiana 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.
Read MoreGovernor 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.
Read MoreThe 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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