Number of Redfish Killed by Louisiana's Menhaden Industry Estimated in New Study
A closely watched study of how many redfish and other species the industrial menhaden industry nets and ultimately kills off of Louisiana’s coast shows the numbers are not as bad as some had feared, but recreational anglers called the results concerning nonetheless.
Industry officials pointed to the study as evidence that they did not deserve to be vilified, particularly given their economic contributions to the state. Conservationists highlighted the effects on redfish in particular while calling for further precautions.
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Do Louisiana Rural Hospitals Face Closure Following Passage of One Big Beautiful Bill?
A social media post from Louisiana Democrats suggests that the Louisiana Republican delegation is responsible for the potential closure of rural hospitals throughout the state following their support for President Trump's "One Big, Beautiful Bill."
However, Senator Bill Cassidy stated that that wouldn't be the case.
In a statement to The Shreveport Times regarding the post, Cassidy stated that people who are opposed to President Trump are opposed to the bill and will twist things around to say things that aren't true.
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Back to Back Field Days in Texas
The Nutrien Ag Solutions Texas Rice Field Day was held yesterday at their research station south of El Campo. General Rice Business Manager Randy Ouzts welcomed attendees and provided an overview of Nutrien’s rice breeding activities, and rice breeder Nanyen Chou explained the various steps in pure line rice variety development.
Dr. Steve Linscombe, director of The Rice Foundation, was there to talk about ongoing USA Rice activities as well as the Rice Leadership Development Program, which is currently accepting applications.
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Farm Bureau Extends Deadline for Top Dog Honors
Farmers have until July 25 to submit nominations for the 2026 Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, which comes with cash prizes and bragging rights. This is the eighth year of the contest, supported by Nestlé Purina PetCare, which celebrates farm dogs and the many ways they support farmers and ranchers.
The grand prize winner – Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year – will win a year’s worth of Purina Pro Plan dog food and $5,000 in prize money.
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Secretary Rollins Takes Decisive Action and Shuts Down U.S. Southern Border Ports to Livestock Trade due to further Northward Spread of New World Screwworm in Mexico
Tuesday, Mexico’s National Service of Agro-Alimentary Health, Safety, and Quality (SENASICA) reported a new case of New World Screwworm (NWS) in Ixhuatlan de Madero, Veracruz in Mexico, which is approximately 160 miles northward of the current sterile fly dispersal grid, on the eastern side of the country and 370 miles south of the U.S./Mexico border. This new northward detection comes approximately two months after northern detections were reported in Oaxaca and Veracruz, less than 700 miles away from the U.S. border, which triggered the closure of our ports to Mexican cattle, bison, and horses on May 11, 2025.
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Busch Light is Launching Limited-edition Farming Cans in Partnership with Farm Rescue
This July, Busch Light is launching brand new limited-edition Farming Cans across the U.S. and continuing to encourage consumers to ‘Choose Beer Grown Here.’ This year’s Farming Cans — vibrantly wrapped with a red barn design, a tractor and eagle soaring over lush cornfields — are truly brewed for the farmers, honoring the hardworking men and women of American agriculture and reinforcing Busch Light’s commitment to farming and ranching communities.
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Federal Timber Executive Order Faces Limited Reach in Louisiana
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March aimed at revitalizing America’s timber industry by increasing logging on federal lands, streamlining permitting, and reducing regulatory delays.
But in Louisiana, where the timber sector has been in long decline, early reactions suggest the impact has been minimal — at least for now.
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Grassroots Cattle Industry Organizations Back Secretary Rollins’ National Farm Security Action Plan
Grassroots cattle industry organizations throughout the United States are sharing support for Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ National Farm Security Action Plan.
Louisiana Cattlemen's Association President and Cattle Producer Jarett Daigle:
“Louisiana Cattlemen's Association is appreciative of Secretary Rollins' plan to put farm security first. Agriculture built this land, and we must safeguard it for our future generations!”
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After Decades of Rule, Cotton is Dethroned by Soybeans as Louisiana’s Top Crop
For decades cotton was king. But this year the Louisiana cotton crop is expected to be the smallest in history. State Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain says input costs to produce cotton has gone up and the price farmers can get for cotton has gone down from two dollars a pound in the mid-1800s.
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King Cotton Faces 'Bleak' Future in Louisiana After Centuries as Backbone Crop
Cotton, once king in Louisiana, has become little more than an afterthought for farmers whose fertile fields once looked like snow covered ground with fluffy white bolls during the late summer as harvest approached.
But this summer Louisiana producers will plant the fewest acres of cotton in the history of the state as the crop's decline accelerates.
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Trump Administration Announces Expedited Congressionally Mandated Disaster Assistance for Farmers
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that agricultural producers who suffered eligible crop losses due to natural disasters in 2023 and 2024 can now apply for $16 billion in assistance through the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP).
To expedite the implementation of SDRP, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is delivering assistance in two stages. This first stage is open to producers with eligible crop losses that received assistance under crop insurance or the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program during 2023 and 2024.
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Invasive Asian Needle Ant, Native to Japan and China, Detected in East Baton Rouge Parish
An invasive species of ants not native to the U.S. has been detected in Louisiana. A colony of the Asian needle ant was detected in East Baton Rouge Parish last month. Aaron Ashbrook, an entomology professor at LSU, says as the name implies, the species is native to Japan and China, although it’s been in the U.S. since the 1930s; and it was recently found in the South.
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Where Are the Best Soybeans in the Country Right Now?
In its latest Crop Progress report, the USDA rated 75% or more of the soybean crop in four of the top 18 soybean-growing states good/excellent.
USDA rated 87% of Louisiana’s crop good/excellent, the highest percentage of all top soybean-growing states. What’s more: Just 13% of the state’s crop were rated fair, and none were rated poor or very poor.
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Could Off-bottom Oyster Production Solve Louisiana’s Oyster Woes?
Not all jewels shine deep-green like emeralds or have the sparkle of diamonds. Some tumble from algae-coated cages in a rush of rock and shell, briny water splashing alongside them onto the boat deck.
These fine commodities are oysters, grown and harvested just off Louisiana’s coastline. Traditionally, they’ve been farmed on seafloor beds, but some producers are now cultivating oysters in a string of floating cages.
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Several Attractions Planned for Upcoming Iowa Farmer’s Market
The Town of Iowa will hold a Farmer’s Market on Saturday, July 19, with several attractions for the public to enjoy.
New this year is the “Rib Throwdown.” Entry is free, and participants can win cash prizes.
There will also be a performance by Brandon Ledet & Creole Touch from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
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