AgFirst, CoBank, Farmer Mac and the Texas Farm Credit District have joined together to provide $315,000 in relief aid for those hard hit by Hurricane Helene. These entities share a common mission of supporting rural communities and American agriculture with financial and other services. Funds will be donated to the American Red Cross.
Read MoreIn recent years, drought has been common in many Southern states, including Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Tennessee, and Kentucky. The U.S. Drought Monitor reported that approximately 65% of this area was experiencing some level of drought as of October 1, 2024 (Fig. 1). Producers are increasingly adopting the USDA’s Pasture, Rangeland, and Forage Insurance (PRF), recognizing its crucial role in supporting ranchers during these challenging times.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreTen 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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreFor 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.”
Read MoreU.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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreAccording 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.
Read MoreU.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.
Read MoreOn 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.
Read MoreThe 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.
Read MoreTabasco 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.
Read MoreThe 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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