Fire Ant Quarantine: What Every Louisiana Resident Needs to Know
With summer in Louisiana comes hot temps. Really hot temps. And with the hot temperatures comes mowing, grilling, and fire ants.
And fire ants cause more harm and damage than just painful stings. For some reason they are extremely attracted to electricity. When we built our house in North Bossier years ago, we were outside city limits, so we had to have a well. And one soon discovers that fire ants love to find their way into electrical boxes and circuits and cause electrical shorts, or even fires. Hence, another reason for the Federal Fire Ant Quarantine.
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Farm Bureau Applauds Suspension Of Burdensome Labor Rule
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented today on the Department of Labor suspending a rule dubbed the Farmworker Protection Act, which failed to live up to its name and was initially struck down by a district court.
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USDA To Survey Cattle Operations
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) mailed the July cattle survey to about 18,000 cattle operations nationwide to provide an up-to-date measure of U.S. cattle inventories. This is the first July cattle survey mailed to producers since the reinstatement of key reports was announced earlier this year.
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Rising Stars: Saddling Up For Success
This week’s Rising Stars are six junior high athletes who are set to compete at the National Junior High School Rodeo Finals.
Over the course of the season, the athletes have found success from the close connections formed with their horses.
The road to success has not always been easy, but the athletes have broken through the barriers and continue to reach for the stars.
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This Louisiana Program is Training Educators to Build Connections Between Students and Local Food
For Carl Motsenbocker, Farm to School is more than just a program. It's about local food systems and working to teach children and feed children within a local food area.
For more than 20 years, he has recruited LSU students and his own family to help plant gardens in local schools. Back in 2014, he attended a Farm to School conference in Austin, Texas, and realized Louisiana would be a perfect place to implement the Louisiana Harvest of the Month pilot program.
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Drone Advisory Committee Reveals Economic Plan for Unmanned Aircraft
The Louisiana Advanced Aviation and Drone Advisory Committee has outlined a statewide strategic economic plan aimed at preparing for the rapid growth of unmanned aircraft systems and advanced air mobility technologies.
Just a couple of hours before the committee met, Gov. Jeff Landry signed a law that will allow law enforcement to deploy "both kinetic and non-kinetic technologies to neutralize unmanned aerial systems operating unlawfully near high-risk areas such as schools, public events and critical infrastructure," the Governor's office wrote.
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Ashley Edwards: Pivoting During The Pandemic To Help The Beef Industry
When Ashley Edwards joined the LSU AgCenter in December 2019 as an extension agent and coordinator of livestock programs, she was eager to hit the road and begin visiting producers, conducting workshops and helping 4-H youth with their livestock projects.
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Property Owner Of Alleged Cockfighting Location Arrested
The owner of the property that is at the center of a cockfighting investigation in Beauregard Parish has now been arrested, according to the sheriff’s office.
Ricky Lee Ashworth, 70, was booked into the Beauregard Parish Correctional Facility for one count of cockfighting and one count of aggravated cruelty to animals. He was released on bond Wednesday evening.
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USDA Researchers Find Viruses From Miticide Resistant Parasite Mites Are Cause Of Recent Honey Bee Colony Collapses
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS) are helping American beekeepers solve the mystery behind a widespread honey bee colony collapse and its debilitating effects on U.S. agriculture. Researchers have submitted a manuscript to a scientific journal for peer review based on our research findings that identified high levels of deformed wing virus A and B and acute bee paralysis in all recently USDA-sampled bees.
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Less Than 50% Of One Louisiana City's Restaurants Found To Be Serving Authentic Gulf Shrimp
Testing continues across the state to ensure that local restaurants advertising that they are serving authentic Gulf shrimp are doing so. But one Louisiana city just received some poor marks in a recent round of testing.
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Michael Polozola:Nurturing Fruits, Pecans For Louisiana Homeowners And Industry
On a gray February day as he drove through a nursery in Forest Hill, Michael Polozola stopped his truck to pick up a special passenger: a dog named Oliver.
Polozola, the LSU AgCenter’s fruit and nut specialist, spends a lot of time at the nurseries of central Louisiana. He has befriended the nursery dogs — including Oliver, a lab mix who eagerly awaits his rides in the truck.
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Heightening Concerns for U.S. Rice Farmers, USDA Again Boosts Indian Rice Production Forecast, Increases U.S. Import Projections
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its June World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE), raising projections for both Indian rice production and U.S. rice imports for the 2025/2026 marketing year. These projections further illustrate the effects of India’s trade-distorting policies on global rice markets.
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NCBA Supports USDA Plan For Screwworm Sterile Fly Facility In Texas
The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) announced strong support for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) plan to build a New World screwworm sterile fly facility at Moore Air Base in south Texas. NCBA President Buck Wehrbein and NCBA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Ethan Lane joined Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins at Moore Air Base for her press announcement.
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Farm Bureau Statement on Immigration Enforcement on Farms
American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall today expressed concern over reports that immigration enforcement focus will resume on farms and ranches.
“President Trump recently emphasized agriculture faces unique circumstances that warrant a different approach to enforcement practices. Agriculture is inherently labor intensive – farmers cannot care for crops and animals without the contributions of the men and women willing to do the hard work.”
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2 Top States Have Finished Planting Soybeans, USDA Reports
The USDA said that as of June 15, 93% of the soybean crop across the top soybean-growing states had been planted. The five-year average is 94%.
Louisiana and Minnesota both reached 100% by June 15. They are the first of the top states to wrap up soybean planting.
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