The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) announced today that it does not expect to purchase and sell sugar under the Feedstock Flexibility Program for crop year 2025, which runs from Oct. 1, 2025, to Sept. 30, 2026.
Read MoreA practical crop budget can serve as a valuable farming playbook, offering essential direction and guidance from planting through harvest, according to farmers and business partners David Hula and Randy Dowdy.
Read MoreRegenerative has turned into more of a trendy buzzword than an actual, scientific approach to agriculture. Instead of using buzzwords to deploy funding, what would truly benefit producers is if USDA actually helped them learn how to regenerate their soil. Since there is no mention of any means to facilitate farmer and rancher education in the new Regenerative Pilot Program, it is unlikely to accomplish any real change for the better.
Read MoreMost Louisiana farmers are facing an uncertain future as low commodity prices have them struggling to stay afloat. It appears that 2026 will continue to bring headwinds for most agricultural enterprises in the state. LSU AgCenter correspondent Craig Gautreaux has this report on the 2025 crop year for Louisiana.
Read MoreThe United States was hit with numerous multi-billion dollar extreme weather events in 2025, and many of them took harsh tolls on the agricultural sector. In its year-end recap, AccuWeather says seven of the worst disasters this year — most notably floods in the central U.S. and Texas Hill Country — resulted in $378 billion to $424 billion in total damage and economic hardship.
Read MoreAmerican farmers will receive billions of dollars from the Trump administration in the new year as they contend with trade wars, inflation and rising costs. But not all farms will benefit.
Read MoreIn just two days, Louisiana will show itself off to the world when it glides its float along the streets of Pasadena, California, for the 2026 Tournament of Roses Parade. Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says they’ve been working hard getting the float, titled “Gulf to Gumbo,” ready for Thursday morning’s big show.
Read MoreFrom the docks of the Port of Santos, a 58-terminal complex covering an area the size of 1,500 American football fields, ships loaded with soybeans prepare to set sail for China.
Read MoreThe LSU School of Veterinary Medicine’s Wildlife Hospital of Louisiana will release a bald eagle on Thursday, January 1 in South Toledo Bend State Park.
Read MoreLieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, local tourism leaders, and Louisiana entertainers are in Southern California making final preparations for Monday’s Rose Parade through the streets of Pasadena.
The group is putting final touches on Louisiana’s “Explore Louisiana” float, which will feature the state’s agriculture and tourism. One hundred volunteers from Louisiana will place over 100,000 roses on the float.
Read MoreLouisiana Farm Bureau members still have time to register for the inaugural Rooted in Leadership Conference, scheduled for January 23–24, 2026, in Baton Rouge, but the registration deadline is quickly approaching. Registration closes Monday, January 5.
The Rooted in Leadership Conference is a joint leadership event hosted by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation’s Women’s Leadership Committee, Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee, and Michael Danna Leadership Planning Committee.
Read MoreFrom fish movement to oyster reef restoration, Jeff Plumlee’s work at the LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant is redefining fisheries ecology in Louisiana. Because of his innovative work, Plumlee was named an Early Career Research Fellow by the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.
Read MoreConversations on U.S. rice quality versus South American consumer preference have been a major topic in recent years. It was also addressed during the 2025 USA Rice Outlook conference, where Horizon Ag shared results from a quality evaluation conducted earlier this fall.
Read MoreAccording to newly released Office of Inspector General Report, USDA lost more than 18% of its staff between January and June.
On Jan. 11, the department had 110,384 employees. Between Jan. 12 and June 14, a total of 20,306 employees left USDA.
Read MoreThe USDA is forecasting that the agricultural trade deficit will shrink in 2026 more than previously anticipated. Agri-Pulse said USDA expects the trade deficit to drop from $43.7 billion in fiscal year 2025 to $37 billion in fiscal year 2026. That’s according to the Quarterly Trade Forecast published last Tuesday.
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