National Rice Month Video Contest Deadline Approaches
The clock is ticking for the annual National Rice Month (NRM) Scholarship video contest! The deadline for entries is Tuesday, October 15.
Less than two weeks away but more than enough time for eligible students, graduating high school seniors from Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, or Texas, to create a short video – three minutes or less – that educates, entertains, and tells why rice is special to you, to your state, or to the world.
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Black Bear Hunting Lottery Over, Hunt Starts December 7
Ten lucky hunters are counting the days until Dec. 7.
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Louisiana Black Bear Hunting Lottery concluded Sept. 25 with 973 total applications and 814 individual applicants entering.
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USDA/NRCS Louisiana Announces Regional Conservation Partnership Program Sign Up Dates
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) in Louisiana announced today that it is opening an application period for the Open Pine Landscape Restoration Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) project. The signup period will begin on November 18 and run until December 13, 2024.
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Voice of Louisiana Agriculture Radio Network Senior Farm Broadcaster Is Named King Cotton
For Don Molino, serving as this year’s King Cotton is a great honor.
He said, “When you look at people who have been King Cotton in the past, I’m in pretty dadgum good company. It’s something I didn’t expect. It came out of the blue. This is great.”
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USDA Invests More Than $46 Million for Underserved, Veteran, and Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Projects Nationwide
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small today announced a more than $46 million investment in projects supporting America’s veteran, underserved, and beginning farmers and ranchers to help aspiring producers enter the business and improve their skills and knowledge to sustain their operations for years to come.
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‘Shining Light’ Sophomore Promotes Urban 4-H in Calcasieu Parish, Beyond
The motto of Washington-Marion Magnet High in Lake Charles is “Forward. Onward. Upward.” And that is precisely how sophomore Armund Wilson lives his life.
Wilson’s infectious optimism has helped grow 4-H — an organization he once didn’t know much about — in his high school, his community and even nationally.
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Yellow Rails and Rice Festival: Birders and Farmers Go in Search of Elusive Marsh Bird
The heart of Cajun Country in Louisiana’s southwest prairie region is bracing for an influx of visitors for a unique agritourism event.
The 16th annual Yellow Rails and Rice Festival has birders from 30 states and Washington, D.C., flocking to Thornwell for a three-day event beginning Oct. 30.
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Protecting Farm Equipment During Post-harvest Season
According to the Louisiana State Department of Agriculture and Forestry, farmers can risk thousands of dollars if their equipment doesn’t get stored properly during off-season.
Commissioner Mike Strain of the department told KNOE Tuesday morning that even though farmers are still active in the fields during this time of year, they should be thinking about how they’re going to store their equipment to avoid rodent damage, which can become costly.
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Senator Cassidy Hosts Second Rural Community Funding Summit
U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) hosted his second Rural Community Funding Summit of 2024, together with Minden Mayor Nick Cox, the Louisiana Municipal Association, the Police Jury Association of Louisiana, and LITACorp. Cassidy encouraged local officials in attendance to take advantage of his Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), and the opportunities it provides.
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Volunteer Fireman Arrested in Union Parish
On October 2, Christopher Kyle Holman was arrested following a three-month investigation between The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Enforcement Division and the Union Parish Sheriff’s Office.
In June of 2024, LDAF’s enforcement division received a complaint involving a local volunteer fire department (VFD) setting fires.
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Notice of a Major Disaster Declaration for the State of Texas Amendment No. 5 and Four Louisiana Parishes for Hurricane Beryl
The notice of a major disaster declaration for the State of Texas is hereby amended to include permanent work under the Public Assistance program for the following areas among those areas determined to have been adversely affected by the event declared a major disaster by the President in his declaration of July 9, 2024.
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Discovering the Heat of Avery Island, the Birthplace of Tabasco
Tabasco sauce, the worldwide iconic hot sauce, originates from Avery Island in Iberia Parish, Louisiana. Founded by Edmund McIlhenny in 1868, the brand has grown from a single red pepper sauce into a 150-year-long family empire with a lineup of nine flavors.
Mackenzie Trahan, corporate hospitality coordinator for McIlhenny, emphasizes the attractions available for visitors to Avery Island.
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Southwest Louisiana Farmers Urge Congress To Act As Key Farm Bill Expires
The future of American farming is at a critical crossroads as a key piece of legislation, the 2018 Farm Bill, expired on September 30, 2024, leaving farmers across the country anxious about their financial survival.
Allen McLain, a second-generation rice farmer in Vermilion Parish, said the current farm bill—originally passed six years ago—is no longer adequate to address the economic challenges facing today’s farmers.
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Reduce Feed Costs And Waste With Forage Testing
Cow-calf operations are the heart of Louisiana’s livestock industry. Cattle in this sector spend much of their lives grazing perennial and annual pastures, so high-quality forage is important.
Summer 2023 was one of the hottest and driest in recent memory. The drought took a major toll on crop production, and everyone from sugarcane farmers to cattle ranchers felt the effects.
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Despite Hurricane Helene, Cotton Prices Locked In Low 70 Cent Range
We keep trying to push the market higher, but economic conditions continue to fight that effort. Despite that, the market did spend most of its time trading at the upper end of the price range established back in June. Thus, the bulls cannot really complain, despite not getting any momentum from the hurricane.
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