Crawfish aquaculture is the most profitable aquaculture endeavor in Louisiana, representing roughly 69% of the total gross farm value generated across all commercial aquaculture enterprises in 2022, according to the Louisiana Summary Agriculture and Natural Resources 2022. Crawfish producers in south Louisiana create a suitable wetland habitat for crawfish to survive, reproduce and grow to harvest size in shallow water impoundments used for both crawfish and rice.
Read MoreThe U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, a leading program for responsibly grown cotton, has released its 2023/24 Annual Report, showcasing record grower participation and notable strides in environmental stewardship.
The report highlights the program’s progress in driving transparency and continuous improvement across the cotton supply chain, even amidst a challenging economic climate for growers.
Read MoreIt has been very dry the month of October as rain has been very hard to come by. Drought conditions have followed behind and although not usually ideal for the area, the time of year might be ideal for these conditions.
With the recent lack of rain most areas are seeing drought conditions within their area, especially further towards the northwest. However because of the timing of the year with this drought, conditions might ideal for at least right now.
Read MoreThe LSU Red-N-Sweet watermelon will be featured on an episode of the PBS series “The Key Ingredient with Sheri Castle” during the show’s upcoming third season.
Red-N-Sweet was developed at LSU AgCenter Calhoun Research Station in Ouachita Parish. The first crosses that led to its development were made in 1972 and the variety was released in 1987.
Read MoreCongresswoman Julia Letlow joined Congressman Trent Kelly in introducing the Farmer Assistance and Revenue Mitigation (FARM) Act of 2024. This legislation addresses the urgent need for immediate economic support for Louisiana farmers facing unprecedented challenges as they approach the crucial lending season for the 2025 crop year.
The FARM Act will give farmers one-time assistance payments and will be a critical resource for farmers in helping them pay down debt relative to the 2024 crop year and assist them in obtaining financing for the 2025 crop year.
Notice of a major Disaster Declaration for the State of Louisiana is hereby amended to include 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 September 16, 2024.
Read MoreGov. Jeff Landry has officially called the legislature back into Baton Rouge for the third special session of his administration. While the session was originally dubbed as a tax-only session, other topics included in the call included funding for instructional materials for students in vocational agriculture, agribusiness and agriscience courses.
Read MoreIn south Louisiana, Paul Johnson was amidst rice harvest of his ratoon crop, and yields were stronger than expected. “I am pleased with what we are seeing so far. They are not the yields we had last year, but I think last year was an anomaly. I don’t think we will ever see that again,” Johnson said. “The second crop yields are strong.”
Read MoreOn October 18, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) fire crews, several local fire departments, and the U.S. Forest Service from Kisatchie worked tirelessly to extinguish ten wildfires on Highway 10. Before being brought under control, the fires burned close to 15 acres of woodland, damaging timber and threatening several homes.
Read MoreThe FARM Act provides assistance to farmers when their revenue falls below the cost of production due to circumstances beyond their control. Congressman Kelly emphasizes that this bill will help keep farms in operation during this challenging time.
Read MoreSWLA farmers are invited to meet with state and federal leaders at a roundtable discussion in Jennings.
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy and State Rep. Troy Romero will speak at the event and hear farmers' questions and concerns.
Read MoreThe Society of American Foresters recognized 22 of their members this past year after each had been nominated for “longstanding service to forestry” and “advancement of the forestry profession.” After more than 50 years of being a part of the forestry industry, work across multiple states and even a foray into Canda, LSU AgCenter School of Renewable Natural Resources professor Cornelis De Hoop was more than deserving of this recognition.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation is urging federal lawmakers to create and enact a new long-term Farm Bill to help the state’s farmers and ranchers see opportunities for economic sustainability.
The Farm Bill officially expired on Sept. 30, meaning there is currently no federal safety net for farmers, said Richard Fontenot, president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.
Read MoreIt’s hard to remember the last time our area received rain. Sept. 5 was officially the last time Southwest Louisiana saw significant rainfall. The worsening drought is a real worry for local farmers, especially crawfish farmers. But right now, it’s nothing like last year’s extreme drought.
State agriculture commissioner Dr. Mike Strain said we can’t afford a repeat of last year.
Read MoreBush-N-Vine Farm in York, South Carolina, is best known for its strawberries, apples, peppers and pumpkins.
The Hall family has had ups and downs with farming for over a century, but soaring migrant labor costs and inflation are straining their business operation to the max.
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