The Louisiana Economic Development Partnership appointed 11 board members to help promote economic growth throughout the state, and one of them resides in Morehouse Parish.
Meryl Kennedy Farr, the chief executive officer of Kennedy Rice Mill and 4Sisters Rice in Mer Rouge, is now sitting on the board that was established by ACT 590 in the 2024 legislative session, which is known as the “Positioning Louisiana to Win” bill.
Read MoreSugarcane growers in south Louisiana were making preparations for the upcoming harvest season when Hurricane Francine came ashore last week, bringing winds that knocked their crop over and heavy rains that flooded fields that were already saturated from recent rainfall.
Now, farmers in several parishes of Louisiana’s cane belt are waiting for things to dry out and for the crop to stand itself back up. With a few days of sunny weather in the forecast, they’re optimistic they will soon be back on track.
Read MoreLast week, the Alliance for Cuba Engagement and Respect (ACERE) hosted a virtual briefing titled, “U.S.-Cuba Cooperation on Food and Climate Security: Opportunities for Growth.” Among the five expert panelists was Asiha Grigsby, USA Rice senior director for international promotion for the Western Hemisphere, who provided valuable insights into U.S. rice industry perspectives on trade and collaboration with Cuba.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission will host its next saddle microchipping event Thursday, September 26, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. It will be held at the LSU AgCenter’s Lafourche Parish office located at 115 Texas Street in Raceland, Louisiana.
Read MoreIf your home was damaged by Hurricane Francine, the tremendous work, expense and stress can mean a daunting and difficult ordeal ahead. But if you restore for more than before, you can return to a stronger, more resilient, comfortable and healthy home.
Read MoreMany areas of Louisiana received several consecutive days of rain between August 28 to September 12. The rainy period was capped off with Hurricane Francine on September 11. The continuous precipitation caused weather damage in soybean plants that were mature or near maturity.
Fields planted on or before April 16 at the Dean Lee Research and Extension Center were harvested by August 28 and had good yield and quality. In addition, fields planted on May 6 or later did not show weather damage on September 12.
Read MoreSugarcane farmers across Louisiana are grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Francine, which left fields battered and cane stalks bent in its wake.
In Brusly, Drew Masciz expressed optimism despite the visible signs of damage to their fields.
Read MoreLast week, USA Rice kicked off September’s National Rice Month (NRM) with a slew of promotional activities and promotions aimed at raising awareness of domestic rice and paying homage to those responsible for producing it.
Thirty-four years ago, September was designated as National Rice Month through an official act of Congress and presidential proclamation to honor the more than 125,000 individuals responsible for producing, milling, handling, and processing U.S.-grown rice, highlighting the cultural, nutritional, and economic importance of U.S.-grown rice, and showcasing the domestic rice industry.
Read MoreA leader with the American Soybean Association says she’s concerned about the threat of a port strike and its potential impact on the soy industry.
ASA director of government affairs Alexa Combelic says a shutdown of East and Gulf Coast export facilities would disrupt the U.S. supply chain. “These are the ports that are shipping goods via container,” she said. “While most soybeans are sent via bulk shipment, we have over two and a half million metric tons of soybeans that are shipped via container.”
Read MoreChanges to Federal Milk Marketing Orders being considered by USDA could hurt farmers the FMMO system is designed to protect. The American Farm Bureau Federation delivered that message in comments sent today to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall emphasized the analysis in a follow-up letter to Mr. Vilsack as well.
Read MoreThe 2024/25 U.S. corn outlook calls for smaller supplies and a modest decline in ending stocks. Projected beginning stocks for 2024/25 are 55 million bushels lower based on increases in exports and corn used for ethanol for 2023/24. Corn production for 2024/25 is forecast at 15.2 billion bushels, this estimate is a 39 million bushel increase from last month’s projections. This production increase was the result of a 0.5-bushel increase in yield from previous estimates to 183.6 bushels per acre. Harvested area for grain is unchanged at 82.7 million.
Read MoreWhen Hurricane Francine swept across southern Louisiana Wednesday evening, sugar cane crops along LA 1 were damaged and farmers say they’re taking time to assess the severity.
Read MoreIf you thought the global sugar market was cleaning up its act after being named one of the world’s most distorted commodity markets – think again.
Every year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture puts together thousands of reports, published as part of the Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN), including annual reports that detail many ways foreign governments are intervening in their domestic sugar markets.
Read MoreEric Boles, a global expert in talent development, change management and cultural transformation, will address attendees as closing general session keynote speaker during the 2025 American Farm Bureau Convention on Monday, Jan. 27. Boles is founder and CEO of The Game Changers Inc., a leadership training and development company headquartered in Lakewood, Washington. Boles is a thought leader in business strategies, providing in-depth coaching and consulting to help organizational leaders increase productivity and attain peak performance from teams they lead, in addition to authoring “Moving to Great…Unleashing Your Best in Life and Work.”
Read MoreA number of small Black-owned farms in the Gulf South are growing crops with the climate in mind. Hilery Gobert is among them. He owns a 65-acre farm in Iowa, La., that he started farming in 2020. He has been trying to improve the soil since then. To do that, he rotates crops and uses cover crops to keep nutrients in the ground. The land now supports a variety of crops, including okra, figs, Asian eggplants and watermelons.
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