International Paper Closing North Louisiana Plant, Eliminating 300 Jobs
International Paper will permanently close its Campti containerboard mill in Natchitoches Parish in April, eliminating about 300 permanent jobs.
The company also said it will close its recycling plant in Phoenix and box plant in Hazelton, Pa., during the same time period.
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Advocate Editorial: La. Rice Farmers are Collateral Damage in Fight Over USAID
The hastily developed and executed pause in aid from the U.S. Agency for International Development, or USAID, has thrown some of Louisiana's farmers into limbo as they wait to find out if programs that bought a significant portion of their crops will continue.
Within weeks of taking office, President Donald Trump and his point person on governmental spending, Elon Musk, abruptly shuttered many operations at USAID and ordered freezes on many aid programs, alleging wasteful spending. Among the programs affected were those that bought crops — including Louisiana rice — for foreign food aid.
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Brooke L. Rollins Sworn in as 33rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture
Brooke Rollins was sworn in as the 33rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture by Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court Clarence Thomas in a private ceremony today at the Supreme Court building. The U.S. Senate confirmed Rollins by a vote of 72-to-28.
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Southern University AgCenter's 82nd Annual Livestock And Poultry Show
Southern University's AgCenter is hosting its 82nd Annual Livestock and Poultry Show from Feb. 22 to March 1.
Small farmers throughout Louisiana will compete in the week-long event at the Maurice A. Edmond Livestock Arena on Southern's campus.
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Farm Bureau Congratulates Sec. Rollins on Senate Confirmation
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the Senate vote to confirm Brooke Rollins as Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.
“Farm Bureau congratulates Brooke Rollins on her confirmation to be Secretary of Agriculture. We look forward to her leadership as she takes over USDA at a critical time for America’s farmers and ranchers.”
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USDA to Survey Farmers’ Planting Intentions for 2025
As the 2025 crop production season begins, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to determine their plans for the upcoming growing season.
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Red River Livestock Auction: February 12, 2025
Click below for the market report from the latest Red River Livestock Auction.
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Kinder Livestock Auction: February 12, 2025
Click below for the market report from the latest Kinder Livestock Auction.
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Louisiana Students Helped Save Over 12,000 Lbs. Of Food Waste After Super Bowl LIX Tailgates
Large events often produce a significant amount of food waste. However, over the Super Bowl LIX weekend, a national organization worked with Louisiana student volunteers to minimize the huge party's environmental impact.
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Should Trump levy tariffs to protect this Louisiana industry? Clay Higgins asks for help
Acadiana Congressman Clay Higgins has asked President Trump to increase tariffs and trade enforcement on shrimp, crawfish and other imported seafood to protect one of Louisiana signature industries.
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Brothers from Moreauville catch 100+ pound catfish
Louisiana is known around the world for the shrimp, the crawfish and the catfish, but where does it all come from? KALB’s Johnny Atkinson met up with a couple of old-fashioned fishermen from Moreauville in Avoyelles Parish who caught a 100+ pound catfish.
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Agricultural Exports 101
With more than 20% of U.S. agricultural production destined for foreign markets, agricultural exports are vital to the financial success of U.S. farmers. Exports not only allow U.S. farmers to find additional customers among the over 95% of the world population that lives outside of our borders but also add value for farmers as many foreign customers are looking for products for which Americans find little or no value. For instance, consumers in Japan, South Korea and other Asian countries are willing to pay premiums for fruit; and while certain animal parts, such as beef tongue or chicken feet, are undesirable in the United States, they are delicacies in other cultures, and so add value to U.S. production through trade.
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Higgins Asks President Trump to Levy Tariffs on Foreign Seafood
Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) delivered an official letter to President Trump, requesting tariffs and increased trade enforcement for seafood imports from China, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, and Vietnam.
“Domestic shrimpers, fishermen, and crawfish producers in Louisiana and across the country face significant challenges competing against foreign seafood industries that are heavily subsidized and engage in illegal dumping into the United States,” Congressman Higgins wrote.
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Tapping Into The Knowledge Of 216 Rice Crops On "The Rice Stuff"
They say those who don’t learn from history are destined to repeat it, and The Rice Stuff podcast is here for you. Dr. Steve Linscombe, a life-long learner himself, asked four of the most distinguished and venerated rice farmers in the country to sit down with him to talk about their lifetime of experiences.
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Need a Lift? Local Support Provides Transportation to Assist Underserved 4-H Youth
4-H offers Louisiana youth a wealth of personal growth opportunities that assist in developing well-rounded adult members of society a few years down the road. Yet sometimes navigating the actual roads to camps and workshops can be difficult for those who lack reliable transportation. That’s where 4-H supporters have stepped up.
Several parishes have acquired vans thanks to local support, said Lanette Hebert, 4-H coordinator for the LSU AgCenter Southwest Region.
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