Louisiana Rice Industry Preps For Planting With Meetings, Annual Rice Ball
This past weekend, the Louisiana rice industry came together here for the Louisiana Rice Council and Louisiana Rice Growers Association Joint Annual Membership Meeting, followed by the Louisiana Rice PAC (LaRPAC) Annual Rice Ball.
The historic Grand Opera House of the South was the setting for the industry’s gathering, and a grand time was had by all who were in attendance. Despite the late afternoon weather causing issues for some, the room was filled with rice growers and industry representatives as the festivities got under way.
Read More
Dangerous Invasive Northern Snakehead Found In Louisiana
The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) is warning anglers about a newly discovered threat to the state’s waterways—the invasive Northern Snakehead fish. Found recently in Concordia Parish, this predatory species poses a risk to Louisiana’s native fish populations and ecosystems.
Read More
LSU AgCenter Hosting Summer Internship For Students
The LSU AgCenter is hosting an upcoming summer internship for juniors, seniors and grad students.
This is a paid summer internship with 20 positions available throughout Louisiana.
Read More
NCC Acreage Survey: 9.6 Million Acres of U.S. Cotton in 2025; LA 135,000 acres
U.S. cotton producers intend to plant 9.6 million cotton acres this spring, down 14.5% from 2024, according to the National Cotton Council’s 44th Annual Early Season Planting Intentions Survey.
Upland cotton intentions are 9.4 million acres, down 14.4% from 2024, while extra-long staple (ELS) intentions of 158,000 acres represent a 23.5% decline.
Read More
Here Comes the Arctic Cold Again
Another Arctic blast is on its way with precipitation in the forecast prior to the arrival of the coldest air.
(Un-)Fortunately, no sneaux with this system.
Read More
FEWA Sues DHS Over New H-2 Visa Rules on behalf of H-2 Community
The Federation of Employers and Workers (FEWA) along with several allied organizations has filed a lawsuit on behalf of the H-2 community against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) over a new rule governing the H-2A and H-2B guest worker visa programs.
Read More
Expansive US Cotton Industry Depends On Strong Collaboration
The U.S. cotton industry is robust, and Missouri ginner Jeff Lindsey understands that very well. Now that he is in the final weeks of his presidency of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association (SCGA), he even better recognizes the grand scale.
Read More
LSU Lab Looking To Make Biodegradable Mardi Gras Beads Widely Available Next Year
In an initiative to make Mardi Gras more sustainable, LSU has created 3-D printed biodegradable Mardi Gras beads.
The beads contain seeds people can take home to plant, which helps break down the beads.
Read More
Company Says it Received Conditional Approval for Bird Flu Vaccine from US Department of Agriculture
The US Department of Agriculture last week issued a conditional license for an avian flu vaccine for use in chickens, amid an outbreak ravaging poultry flocks, contributing to the sky-high price of eggs.
Zoetis, the manufacturer behind the vaccine, announced the conditional approval Friday, saying in a news release its scientists had begun updating its existing avian flu vaccine in 2022.
Read More
The State of Louisiana's Legislative State
As we approach the 2025 regular session of the Louisiana legislature, beginning April 14th and ending June 12th, many people wonder when is the best time to connect with their legislator to educate them regarding issues important to agriculture. The answer is all year long. You should be talking to your legislators in their office in your district, in your churches, grocery stores, and your festival grounds any chance you get.
Read More
Secretary Rollins Takes Bold Action to Stop Wasteful Spending and Optimize USDA to Better Serve American Agriculture
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins addressed more than 400 USDA staffers, stakeholders and friends and pledged to bring greater efficiency to USDA to ensure it better serves American farmers, ranchers, and the agriculture community. She reviewed findings from the Department of Government Efficiency and welcomes the opportunity to optimize the USDA workforce and stop wasteful spending.
Read More
Louisiana Paper Mill to Close, Lay Off 450 Workers
Some 450 employees of a Natchitoches Parish paper mill will lose their jobs by the end of April after their parent company announced the facility’s pending closure Thursday.
International Paper is shutting down its Red River Mill in Campti that makes containerboard, as well as a recycling plant in Phoenix, a box-making plant in Hazleton, Pennsylvania, and sheet feeder facility in St. Louis.
Read More
Trump Administration to Release Avian Flu Plan, Shift Away from Depopulating Farms
The Trump administration is preparing a plan for combatting avian flu that will move away from depopulating entire infected flocks and rely instead on “biosecurity and medication” to contain outbreaks, says President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser.
Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council, said on CBS’ Face the Nation Sunday that he has been working on the plan with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and “all the best people in government, including academics around the country and around the world.”
Read More
Secretary Rollins Delivers Opening Remarks at USDA Headquarters
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins delivered opening remarks at the Department of Agriculture to more than 400 USDA employees, stakeholders, and congressional members and staff as they welcomed her to her first full day on the job.
Read More
Did An Increase In Alligator Populations Lead To A Hunting Season Extension?
Just last week, the state department of wildlife and fisheries released a notice of intent, extending the wild alligator hunting season, leaving some wondering if there’s an overflow of gators in the state.
“Currently, for the past three years, our population estimate has been, actually lower than the previous 10 years because we’ve had better water cycles, but it’s been very comparable to long term average of 30 years,” Linscombe said.
Read More
