The Farmer's Forecast: Waterlogged and Worsening

A flood watch is in effect from Rodessa to Venice, and Lake Providence to Johnson’s Bayou. If you’re keeping score, that means the entire state is under a flood watch, and most of the state is under that watch until Thursday afternoon. Northern parts of Louisiana should get more of a reprieve on Wednesday, so roughly north of a Hornbeck to Ferriday line, that watch expires Wednesday morning. 

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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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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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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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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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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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