New Variety, New Threat Take Center Stage At Record-Breaking Sugarcane Field Day
The announcement of a new variety and the arrival of a potentially troublesome weed highlighted the LSU AgCenter’s annual Sugar Research Station field day.
AgCenter breeder Michael Pontif announced a new U.S. Department of Agriculture variety release, HoCP 18-803.
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Coca-Cola To Switch To Cane Sugar, Could be Huge For Louisiana
President Donald Trump announced that Coca-Cola has agreed to stop using high fructose corn syrup and start using real cane sugar in their beverages.
According to the American Sugar Cane League, Louisiana is one of America's largest cane sugar producers, 2nd only to Florida.
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The Farmer's Forecast: Tropical Moisture Moving In
The tropical disturbance near the northern Gulf Coast continues to churn toward the west. The oddity of this system is that most of the heavy rain is confined to the west side due to its weak organization, and easterly wind shear. This disturbance should move inland over southeast Louisiana on Thursday and spread scattered heavy rain across parts of the state from Thursday through Saturday.
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Louisiana Living: In The Garden
Today on Louisiana Living, Ashley Doughty is joined by Kerry Heafner discussing the Watermelon Interior Quality Contest.
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Perfect Weather For Rice Diseases
Perhaps the most ‘normal’ weather for farmers is the lack of any sort of ‘normal’ weather at all. Every year brings unique challenges and for rice farmers throughout the midsouth wet conditions are pulling pathogens to the forefront of management decisions.
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LSU’s ‘Plant Doctor’ Works Around the Clock to Heal Louisiana Farms
Raj Singh administers a genetic test to a diseased patient, hoping to confirm the cause of death. He starts by carefully getting the sample before exposing it to the test strip, letting it lay under the bright white lights of his exam room while he waits for the result.
It’s inevitably positive. His patient has a pathogen that’s sweeping through a rural South Louisiana community. Having confirmed his diagnosis, Singh stuffs his patient into a black trash bag and into a storage bin.
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Cotton Production Continues To Decline As Cost To Produce Rises
Farmers are moving away from growing cotton, as demand decreases and the cost of growing it continue to rise.
Farmers say they’re now switching to other crops such as corn, soy beans or grains.
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Rollins Applauds Doubling Of Export Promotion Funding
The U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council (USAEDC), that represents and promotes the export promotion interests of growers and processors of U.S. agricultural products, welcomed U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins to their annual meeting last week where she expressed her appreciation and support for “the greatest of all American industries: American agriculture.”
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Producers and Landowners Can Now Enroll in USDA’s Grassland Conservation Reserve Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced that agricultural producers and private landowners can now enroll in the Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (Grassland CRP). The sign-up runs from , July 14, to Aug. 8, 2025.
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Wayne-Sanderson Farms Named the “Official Chicken of the Southeastern Conference (SEC)”
Wayne-Sanderson Farms, one of the nation’s leading poultry producers, today announced a new multi-year sponsorship as the “Official Chicken of the Southeastern Conference (SEC).” This exciting collaboration unites two Southern icons, bringing delicious chicken and unforgettable experiences to college sports fans across the region.
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Heavy Rainfall, Thunderstorms Expected Around Southeast Louisiana Later This Week
The National Hurricane Center is monitoring the gulf for the possibility of some tropical activity later this week. LSU Public Health Climatologist Dr. Barry Keim says as of right now, the odds of a tropical system forming are fairly low.
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Drax Foundation Connects Louisiana Youth to Agriculture Opportunities
Renewable energy company Drax has announced that three U.S. non-profits will receive $249,990 as part of the Drax Foundation’s latest round of donations. The non-profits receiving the donations are the Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism and Sustainability, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative’s Project Learning Tree, and Southern University’s Bayou Summer Program.
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USDA/FSA Director Outlines Supplemental Disaster Relief Program
Natural disasters take a toll on agricultural production and producers in the southeast often deal with them each year. With the US Department of Agriculture’s announcement last week of expediting the implementation of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program, USDA Farm Service Agency (USDA/FSA) Administrator Bill Beam outlines the details of the program.
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Farm Families Recognized for Surviving More Than 100 Years
The Louisiana Century Farm program was created to recognize family farms that have survived for 100 years or more. This year, two family farms were honored at the Louisiana Farm Bureau’s annual convention in New Orleans.
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Cotton Prices Remain Range Bound, Yields Look Promising
Cotton is like a good spouse, it promises little and delivers more. And USDA estimates a 14.6 million bale crop for the current year.
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