More Than 15,000 USDA Employees Have Taken Trump Financial Incentive to Leave
More than 15,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture employees have taken one of the Trump administration’s two financial incentive offers to leave the agency, according to a readout from a USDA briefing with congressional staff seen by Reuters.
The sum represents about 15% of the USDA’s total workforce.
President Donald Trump’s administration has offered federal employees several months of pay and benefits if they opt to leave their jobs as part of his effort with billionaire ally Elon Musk to shrink the federal workforce.
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What’s the Bigger Question: Can the U.S. Reduce its Reliance on China or Can China Survive Without the U.S.?
The stakes are high with the latest trade war. While the risks of losing more market share into China are a concern, the upside potential of a trade deal with China could be monumental.
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ULM Presidential Search Committee Advances Finalists Following Campus Interviews
The University of Louisiana Monroe hosted semifinalist interviews on April 30 as part of the ongoing search for its next president. The three candidates—Dr. Jonathan Ambrose, Mr. Chris Broadwater, and Dr. Carrie Castille participated in public interviews held at Bayou Pointe, where faculty, staff, students, alumni, and community members had the opportunity to engage and hear directly from each candidate.
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Secretary Rollins Announces New State Directors for FSA, Rural Development
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins today announced the latest slate of presidential appointments for key Farm Service Agency (FSA) and Rural Development (RD) State Director roles.
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Experts Are Still Seriously Worried About Bird Flu — Here's What You Need to Know
In late 2024 and into early 2025, headlines were everywhere— discussing the potential dangers of H5N1, otherwise known as avian influenza, or more simply, the bird flu. Hundreds of millions of birds, including millions of egg-laying hens, needed to be culled, resulting in a massive egg shortage that caused the price of a dozen eggs to skyrocket. One variant was later found in dairy cows, leading the U.S. government to implement a national milk testing strategy. Several humans (mostly dairy or farm workers) were also infected, including a Louisiana farmer who died after contracting it from his backyard flock.
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Exports Of Brazilian Rice To Central America Have Farmers With High Expectations
Brazilian rice exports to Central America are keeping expectations high and are a formidable incentive for southern Brazilian states’ farmers to prepare for another crop year, according to Fedearroz, the industry’s strong lobby.
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Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival Wraps Up
The 2025 Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival has officially come to a close — but not without one last celebration of Cajun culture, crawfish creativity, and community spirit.
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Livestock Brand Commission To Host Saddle Microchipping Event May 16
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission will host a saddle microchipping event on Friday, May 16, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. It will be held at the LSU AgCenter’s West Feliciana Parish office located at 10032 West Feliciana Parkway in St. Francisville.
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Southern University Hosts Jaguar Jackpot Roping
Southern University Ag Center's livestock program hosted the Jaguar Jackpot Roping on Sunday.
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Honeybee Crisis: Louisiana Beekeepers Report Historic Colony Losses
It’s a tiny insect with a massive impact, but in 2025, honeybee populations in Louisiana are facing their worst decline on record.
Beekeepers across the state are raising the alarm after reporting an estimated 60% loss of honeybee colonies this year alone. Experts warn the collapse of these vital pollinators could ripple far beyond the hive—impacting everything from crop production to grocery prices.
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Average Prices for Louisiana Crawfish Hit New Low: See How Much You Could Pay
Now is the time to get your crawfish, as average prices for live and boiled crawfish are at the lowest they have been all season, The Crawfish App reported Friday.
The cost of live crawfish is around $2.60 per pound, while boiled crawfish dropped around 10 cents to $4.89 per pound for the first weekend of May.
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Farmers Double Corn Planting Progress in One Week
Mother Nature provided U.S. corn farmers with a good week to plant, and growers took advantage of the conditions.
Nationally, farmers doubled their planting progress in one week from 12 to 24 percent, the USDA’s April 29 Weekly Weather and Crop Bulletin says.
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Jazz Fest Bucks National Trend by Serving Real Gulf Shrimp, New Testing Shows
Amid growing concerns nationwide over seafood fraud, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has emerged as a rare bright spot in the murky world of shrimp sourcing.
A new round of genetic testing found that nearly every shrimp dish sold at this year's Jazz Fest was made with genuine U.S. wild-caught shrimp from the Gulf — a striking contrast to most restaurants across the South.
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Increased Corn Acres Driving Higher Fertilizer Prices; Farmers May See Fuel Price Relief
An increase in fertilizer prices in the Mid-South is driven more by a demand from the increase in corn acres than tariffs, economists with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture said.
U.S. corn acres are expected to increase 4.73 million acres this year, according to the Prospective Plantings survey from the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
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Letlow Praises Appointment of Craig McCain as Louisiana FSA Head
Congresswoman Julia Letlow released the following statement praising the appointment of Craig McCain to serve as State Executive Director for the Louisiana Farm Service Agency (FSA).
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