The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reminds specialty crop producers that the application period for the Food Safety Certification for Specialty Crops (FSCSC) program for program year 2025 opened Jan. 1, 2025, and runs through Jan. 31, 2026. The program has been expanded to include medium-sized businesses in addition to small businesses. Eligible specialty crop growers can apply for assistance for expenses related to obtaining or renewing a food safety certification.
Read MoreDesigned for beef cattle producers with 10 years of experience or less and for people interested in starting a beef cattle operation. This is a hybrid course with video materials and in-person workshops.
Read MoreAgriculture is an integral part of everyday life and its vital contributions will especially be highlighted March 17-21, 2025 during the annual Louisiana Ag Week.
Read MoreAmerican Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the Environmental Protection Agency’s announcement to begin efforts to clarify how EPA will implement the Waters of the United States rule to comply with the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Sackett v. EPA.
Read MoreCrawfish production enterprises, like other farm enterprises, require advanced planning to make production decisions that are likely to result in profit. The purpose of this report is to provide production costs estimates for crawfish enterprises. These estimates may assist producers in making decisions and obtaining adequate financing. Crawfish production and its associated costs should not be interpreted as averages for producers in the industry. The purpose of the cost projections is to provide guidelines whereby producers and others with an interest in crawfish production costs can make.
Read MoreSome seafood restaurants and markets in the area are beginning to have trouble meeting crawfish demands for customers due to the shorter supply in recent weeks.
Jody Galley has been in the crawfish industry for 22 years. He said his seafood market is having trouble supplying crawfish due to the lack of catch available.
Read MoreNearly 100 youth exhibitors from throughout Louisiana gathered at the Maurice A. Edmond Livestock Arena from February 27 – March 1, 2025 for the Southern University Ag Center’s 82nd Annual State Livestock and Poultry Show.
The exhibitors showed around 130 breeds of cattle, hogs, sheep, lamb, goats, and poultry during the event. The winners took home cash prizes, premiums, banners, ribbons, rosettes, and trophy belt buckles.
Read MoreThis is not a game — it’s our economy, it’s our lives!
Tariffs on foreign goods may sound like a way to protect American industries, but in reality, they will devastate Louisiana’s farmers and rural communities.
Read MoreIt’s everyone’s favorite time of the year again... crawfish season!
“During crawfish season, we are harvesting about six days a week, six out of seven days. We have 2,000 traps across three ponds across this farm; it takes about six or seven hours a day to pick up all the traps, sack the crawfish, deliver the crawfish to a crawfish dock where they are distributed,” Burt Tietje, a local crawfish farmer, said.
Read MoreCotton found a rollercoaster ride on the week, slipping down to the 63-cent level that we forecast. But a bit of profit taking on the heels of a solid export sales report saw a triple-digit price increase back to the 65-66 cent prior lows. May fell to a low of 62.54 low at midweek and settled the week at 66.07. The rally then ran into the nine-day moving average in the 65.75 cent area on Thursday and could go no higher.
Read MoreLouisiana has more than doubled the amount of hunting tags allowed during the state's second annual black bear season.
According to the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, 26 tags will be available. In 2024, only 11 were up for grabs. The hunt has expanded to the southern part of the state.
Read MoreThe month of March is upon us already! Can you believe it? There are some dates during March that can have an impact on our cattle markets.
Mardi Gras on March 4, will be the last big event until Easter. Ash Wednesday on March 5, is the start of Lent when historically it reduces the demand for meat.
Read MoreThe first vessel carrying about 30,000 metric tons of imported organic soybeans, wheat and other grain is expected to arrive at the Alabo Street Wharf in Holy Cross this summer.
It will take a full-time crew of 17 — six facility workers, seven dock workers and four security officers — to run the operation for Canada-based Sunrise Foods International.
Read MoreLSU’s Agriculture Center and LSU School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences (SPESS) presented the 22nd annual Baton Rouge Spring Show at the John M. Parker Coliseum this past weekend.
The LSU AgCenter was established in 1972 by the LSU Board of Chancellors with the intention of giving the university system’s agricultural programs their own distinct identity.
Read MoreNewly enacted tariffs on Mexico and Canada are expected to create ripple effects across Central Louisiana, affecting key industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation. Local businesses are bracing for increased costs, while consumers are already seeing higher prices at grocery stores.
At Mac’s Fresh Market in Pineville, shoppers like Kurt Gautreaux noticed rising costs for essentials such as eggs and meat. “Prices of meat and everything else went up,” Gautreaux said.
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