Tax Special Session Set for November; Louisiana Farm Bureau Watching Out for Agriculture
The official rumors have been confirmed. It appears Louisiana will enter into a 4th legislative session in 2024 down at the Capitol in Baton Rouge come November. The session should occur sometime after the November 5th election and before Thanksgiving. It will be a special legislative session that will address only matters related to taxation and revenue reform. Legislators say the support does exist to hold a third legislative session in 2024, but some say that they're not sure if a consensus can be reached in the short amount of time allowed by a special session.
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Longtime Member Denise Mire to be Inducted Into Cattle Festival Hall of Fame
Denise Mire’s significant contributions to the Louisiana Cattle Festival will be honored as she is inducted into the prestigious Louisiana Cattle Festival Hall of Fame in 2024.
“It is with great honor that the Louisiana Cattle Festival announces our esteemed honorees for the 74th LA Cattle Festival,” Cattle Festival President Karen Guilbeau said. “We are very pleased to introduce our 2024 Hall of Fame, Denise Mire.”
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Federal Drought Relief Policies Leave Some Farmers Out to Dry
On a recent fall day, as Wilburn Harris did the rounds on his cattle farm in the Missouri town of Drexel, he was met with brown grass, cracked soil and half-empty ponds.
He was used to it. Last year’s drought was so bad, he had to haul water and hay to his farm to keep the animals fed and watered.
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Healthy Communities Improves Health In Rural Louisiana Through Community-Driven Initiatives
In rural Louisiana, food insecurity, poverty and obesity rates are often higher than national and state averages. These challenges make it difficult for residents to access nutritious food and safe communities for physical activity and active transportation, increasing the risk of preventable diseases like Type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
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Workers At Baton Rouge Port Join Nationwide Dockworker Strike
The strike began early Tuesday over wages and automation even though progress had been reported in contract talks. The contract between the ports and about 45,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association expired at midnight, the Associated Press reports.
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Helping After Hurricane Helene
In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, communities across the Southeast from Florida to Georgia, through the Carolinas to Virginia and Tennessee are picking up the pieces. The devastation in rural and farm communities has been widespread, and it will be weeks—possibly months—before we know the full impact of the storm. Farm Bureau organizations across the region are providing resources for those affected and those looking to help their neighbors near and far.
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Spooky Tales of No Chocolate in Trick-or-Treat Baskets? Look to Cocoa Shortage… Not Sugar
The volatility of the cocoa market has led to some truly spooky headlines over the past year, including cautionary tales of candy shortages. It’s inevitable that these headlines will rise from the dead again this Halloween and opponents of U.S. sugar policy may choose to take this opportunity to take a stab at sugar producers.
But if your Halloween basket is light on chocolate this year, it’s cocoa that’s the culprit – not sugar.
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Dockworker Strike Highlights Importance of Food Independence
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the impact of the East Coast dockworker strike.
“America is bracing for the impact of the massive dockworker strike that threatens to paralyze traffic of goods in and out of the United States. Our nation relies on international trade for everything from electronics to machinery.”
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Gov. Landry Unveils Tax Reform Plan in Capitol News Conference
Gov. Landry unveils his tax reform plan that he says would simplify the tax code and close most of a $700 million budget shortfall.
In a news conference at the Capitol, Landry said the main objective of his plan, which he has dubbed Driving Louisiana Forward, would lower income taxes for all Louisiana taxpayers.
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Louisiana Grain Stocks: September 30, 2024
Louisiana all wheat stored in off farm storage facilities on September 1, 2024 totaled 6.92 million bushels, up 28 percent from a year ago. United States all wheat stored in all positions on September 1, 2024 totaled 1.99 billion bushels, up 12 percent from a year ago. On farm stocks are estimated at 664 million bushels, up 11 percent from last September. Off farm stocks, at 1.32 billion bushels, are up 13 percent from a year ago.
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Conservation Payments At Jeopardy Without New Farm Bill
Congress’ inability to pass a new farm bill before the end of the current fiscal year on Sept. 30 could have an impact on more areas of farm programs than just the low reference prices in the current law.
Producers will stop receiving payments when they run up against the life-of-farm bill payment limits on the Conservation Stewardship, Environmental Quality Incentives and other popular conservation and price support programs in the new fiscal year.
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Field Day At Rice Model Farm Highlights AgCenter Research
Comfortable early fall temperatures provided an ideal backdrop for a field day held Sept. 26 at Richard Farms in Kaplan, where attendees got a firsthand look at LSU AgCenter research projects focused on conservation practices.
Richard Farms, a rice and crawfish operation, is one of the model farms where AgCenter scientists are conducting research as part of a grant from the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation.
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USDA Announces October 2024 Lending Rates for Agricultural Producers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for October 2024, which are effective Oct. 1, 2024. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures, or meet cash flow needs.
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US Dockworkers Strike, Halting The Nation's Ocean Shipping
U.S. East Coast and Gulf Coast dockworkers began their first large-scale strike in nearly 50 years on Tuesday, halting the flow of about half the country's ocean shipping, after negotiations for a new labor contract broke down over wages.
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Louisiana Farms Face Multiple Years of Losses, LFBF Sends Letter to Delegation Expressing Need for a New Farm Bill Now
Louisiana farms are facing another year of losses in 2024, according to the LSU AgCenter. Those losses would continue in 2025 if Congress does not pass a new Farm Bill this year.
Ag Economist Michael Deliberto, Ph.D. calculated with current commodity prices, production costs and price supports, a 1,500-acre farm would end 2024 with $306,097.50 in losses. A 2,000-acre farm would fare considerably worse with a balance sheet ending in 2024 with $564,482.50 in losses.
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