When we talk with farmers across the country, from cotton fields in Mississippi and cornfields in Iowa to apple orchards in Washington, the theme is the same: uncertainty. The past few years have tested even the most seasoned farmers. Facing rising input costs, unpredictable market access and many other challenges, farmers and ranchers are working harder while margins grow thinner.
Read MoreMarking the end of the longest shutdown in U.S. history, President Trump on Wednesday signed a spending package to reopen the government.
Agricultural groups and politicians have been responding to the developments all week, using the opportunity to advocate for farmers across the nation. From commending and applauding, to calling the developments “the bare minimum,” here’s what they’ve been saying.
Read MoreThrough her work on the House Appropriations Committee, Congresswoman Julia Letlow has secured $2 million in Community Project Funding to boost flood mitigation efforts in South Louisiana.
Read MoreLouisiana is nowhere near as dry (yet!) as the circumstances that developed during 2023 … but we are seeing some pockets of “critical” dryness in sections of the state. Note that the LA Drought Team introduced two areas of D2 (‘Severe Drought’) to the latest Weekly Drought Monitor. It’s the first time that any part of the state was tagged with D2 since late 2024.
Read MoreAfter several weeks of uncertainty surrounding Iraq’s 2026 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) rice purchases due to the delay in approving the FY26 Iraqi budget, ADM Rice has confirmed the recent purchase of two vessels of U.S. long-grain rice totaling 88,000 metric tons. These shipments, scheduled for January and March 2026, mark a positive development for U.S. rice exports and help move the newly harvested crop.
Read MoreWhen the Seafood Processing Demonstration Lab first opened at the LSU AgCenter Iberia Research Station in 2022, the goal was to develop and promote technology that benefits fishermen, seafood packagers and wholesalers by adding value to their product and diversifying to expand market opportunities. The lab hosts Beyond the Boat seafood field days to accomplish these goals.
Read MoreThanks to Buck Leonards and the staff at Louisiana Farm and Ranch for providing the digital edition.
Read MoreThe National FFA Organization has officially opened applications for its 2025-26 scholarship program, offering nearly $2.5 million in financial assistance to FFA members pursuing their next steps in education.
Read MoreSupport from the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agriculture Risk Coverage, county option (ARC-CO) programs for the 2024 crop year are currently being processed and distributed by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Payments from PLC are expected to be triggered for peanut and seed cotton base acres enrolled in that program, while ARC-CO payments are expected in many counties for base acres of most crops if they were enrolled ARC-CO. Total PLC and ARC-CO support for 2024 is estimated to approach $2.6 billion for 2024, with 89% of total payments from ARC-CO.
Read MoreThe American Farm Bureau Federation announced the next recipient of an award that recognizes veterans or service members for excellence in farming or agriculture and positively impacting local communities. Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Matthew Rutter of South Carolina is the second recipient of the Veteran Farmer Award of Excellence presented by AFBF with support from Farm Credit. Rutter served 22 years in the Army, where his service included leading intelligence operations across Europe and the Middle East.
Read MoreHave you ever been going about your daily grind, minding your own business, and then out of nowhere you catch a stray consequence of someone else’s actions?
That’s how some farmers and ranchers are feeling after the past few weeks’ actions — and words — coming out of Washington D.C.
Read MoreAfter nearly six months serving as LSU Interim President, I am pleased to share that I will be returning to my roles with the LSU AgCenter and College of Agriculture. Serving in the interim presidency has been a tremendous honor and an invaluable experience, but I am truly excited to return to leading LSU Agriculture and continuing the important work we’ve started together.
Read MoreHigh school and college students can now apply for the Charles and Rose Broussard Internship, which offers hands-on experience in agricultural research.
Read MoreWith Congress passing another extension, some economists suggest a new reality may be setting in: the era of comprehensive Farm Bills could be ending, replaced by a piecemeal approach in Washington.
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