Agricultural producers throughout Louisiana are embracing precision agriculture — a management strategy that relies on drones, sensors, artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies to collect data and make informed decisions to improve crop yields.
Read MoreA delegation of Louisiana state representatives and state senators, led by Dr. Mike Strain, Louisiana commissioner of agriculture and forestry, visited here last week to learn more about the market and the opportunities it offers for U.S. agricultural exports. Rice featured prominently on the group’s agenda as one of the U.S. agricultural products that would benefit significantly from a U.S.–UK trade agreement aimed at leveling the playing field with competing origins.
Read MoreAn ag transportation specialist says low water conditions continue to impact the lower Mississippi River.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture is pushing farmers to prioritize soil health and more nutritious food. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz announced a $700 million Regenerative Pilot Program on Wednesday to support farmers adopting regenerative practices that improve soil health, protect water quality, and increase long-term productivity.
Read MoreThe expiration of enhanced premium tax credits under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will sharply raise health insurance costs in 2026, forcing painful tradeoffs that could slow farm growth, strain rural hospitals, and push some producers out of business altogether.
Read MoreAccording to the most recent report from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), U.S. sales of agricultural tractors declined 19.6% in November 2025, as compared to November 2024. AEM also found that combine sales decreased 35.2% during this time. This decrease follows a similar trend from October 2025, where reports also showed a 19.6% year-over-year decrease in overall tractor sales.
Read MoreLouisiana ranks highest in the nation for grocery cost burden, according to a new report from Consumer Affairs, a non-government research organization.
Read MoreFirefly populations have hit historically low numbers in Louisiana and other parts of the country where fireflies are native. The Town of Jean Lafitte has reached out to the LSU AgCenter to work on a plan to re-establish firefly populations in the Wetland Trace boardwalk trail. Aaron Ashbrook, the urban and peri-urban extension entomologist at the LSU AgCenter, says part of that plan involves planting 375 native plants within a 1,500 square-foot area.
Read MoreA new analysis shows Louisiana farmers were among the hardest hit in the country as U.S. agricultural exports to China sharply declined in 2025.
Read MoreEnrollment began late last week for Louisiana farmers of soybeans, rice, cotton and other row crops to receive a portion of the $12 billion one-time payments the federal government has set aside in response to market disruptions and increased production costs, said Louisiana Agricultural & Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain.
Read MoreAbout one-third of lottery winners end up in bankruptcy court, according to the American Bankruptcy Institute. For individual farmers, the $12 billion bridge payments USDA announced Monday will hardly amount to Powerball riches, yet, may still prove tricky to manage. Just before this latest announcement of USDA help, a group of Kansas State University economists released suggestions on managing such payments.
Read MoreThe House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations held a hearing on the Abuse of the Equal Access to Justice Act yesterday.
Read MoreThe LSU Veterinarian School houses the Louisiana Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab, the state’s only laboratory that diagnoses animal diseases, where three horses from Texas are being treated for a potentially fatal respiratory and neurological illness.
Read MoreLFT Fiber, along with state and local leaders, announced today that Acadia Parish’s latest broadband project is now finished, delivering steady, high-speed service to 26 homes and 14 businesses in areas like Crowley and Church Point and helping reinforce industries such as agriculture and energy, which drive the local economy.
Read MoreThe National Cotton Council recently launched an innovative campaign called Plant Not Plastic aimed at addressing the growing concerns surrounding microplastics and their impact on human health and the environment.
Read More
