Last week, USA Rice and Ducks Unlimited co-hosted the annual Federal Duck Stamp Reception, showcasing the strong relationship between rice and ducks, and to promote ongoing conservation efforts.
The event celebrated the 12th anniversary of the USA Rice-Ducks Unlimited Stewardship Partnership, a unique alliance through which both organizations work to help rice farmers address water quantity, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working ricelands.
Read MoreSpecialists with the Mississippi State University Extension Service are monitoring the spread of a newly detected invasive pest in the state that could threaten future cotton yields.
The two-spotted leafhopper, also known as the cotton jassid, was first found in a Hinds County cotton field Sept. 8. It has since been confirmed in Noxubee, Neshoba, Oktibbeha and Forrest counties.
Read MoreLouisiana 4-H is gearing up to help kids kick off the new year with healthy habits as it brings back its popular Food & Fitness Day Camp this winter — with two locations for 2026.
The one-day camp, hosted by the 4-H Food and Fitness Board, is designed for 4th through 6th graders and focuses on nutrition, exercise, and healthy living through fun, hands-on activities.
Read MoreI represent a state that grows soybeans, and I’ve heard directly from our farmers. I met with them in the fields and at kitchen tables. They told me how tariffs are closing export markets and how costs for fertilizer and equipment keep going up. At the same time, cuts to SNAP — the program that helps families buy groceries — hurt local demand here at home.
Read MoreI want to give you an update on all the work your leadership and staff are putting in on the row crop assistance asks you’ve likely been reading a lot about. While there is no definite news to share, only rumor, we have been very active in trying figure out the best path to getting commodities suffering unprofitable market conditions some support to make it into 2026.
Read MoreThe sugarcane harvest season has begun, and the crop plays a big role in Louisiana’s economy.
“So far, we’re looking at great conditions. It’s a little bit dry, and the cane is dehydrated. Yields are down a little bit more than what we expected, but the sugar levels are reall,y really good,” sugarcane farmer Chad Hanks said.
Read MoreFollowing USDA guidelines regarding the current government shutdown, the National Cotton Council (NCC) has analyzed and listed the status of programs and operations most relevant to the U.S. cotton industry.
Overall, the NCC anticipates that most USDA activities will be shut down or scaled back, and nearly half of USDA’s employees will be furloughed. However, most activities supported through mandatory appropriations or user fees will remain in operation.
Read MoreOn September 30, the Prioritizing Offensive Agricultural Disputes and Enforcement Act (H. R. 5620) was again re-introduced by House Agriculture Committee member Rick Crawford (R-AR) with Louisiana Representatives Troy Carter (D-LA) and Clay Higgins (R-LA) as co-sponsors.
Read MoreA national effort to combat New World screwworm that includes producing sterile flies in the U.S. via electron beam, or eBeam, is underway between Texas A&M AgriLife and the Office of Radiological Security, which is part of the National Nuclear Security Administration.
Read MoreFoster Poultry Farms LLC has announced a recall of nearly 4 million pounds of chicken corn dog and turkey products.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture says the products might be contaminated with foreign materials, specifically pieces of wood in the batter.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s Strategic Partnerships and Veterans Outreach Program is set to host a Farmer Resource Fair.
Attendees will have the opportunity to gain insights into available grants and loan opportunities, as well as strategies to enhance farming benefits.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries says it received 1,300 applications for the 2025 Black Bear Hunting Lottery. LDWF black bear biologist John Hanks says the 2024 hunt drew 973 applications. He says interest was higher this year, because more of the state is open to bear hunting during a two-week-long season in December.
Read MoreOf all the grand beliefs held by American farmers, this one has always stood out: The world, and China in particular, needs American grain.
That may no longer be the case.
Read MoreThe 2025 planting season was marred by considerable challenges. Farmers in the Midsouth faced historic flooding in April that forced replanting across a significant portion of the Mississippi Delta.
Read MoreEarly indications are that foreign cotton producers will reduce the area devoted to cotton production in 2026. However, the mass of planted area reductions would come from major foreign producing countries, as U.S. plantings should see a minimal increase due to an abnormally low carryover in the U.S.
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