The number of U.S. farms shrank by 15,000 in 2025, bringing the total to 1.865 million, USDA said (last week) in its Land in Farms report. This continues a long-lasting trend of declining farm numbers. Analysis from the American Farm Bureau Federation noted that farm bankruptcies were also on the rise.
Read MoreCorn and soybean prices have trended down for more than three years, squeezing margins. As preparations for the 2026 crop begin, are farmers looking at another tight year? Experts indicate most likely yes. What about the year after that and beyond? Maybe.
Read MoreLike a lot of people who grew up in Louisiana, LSU AgCenter horticulturist Jason Stagg has fond memories of eating casseroles and other dishes his mother prepared using mirlitons — a unique squash that has been grown in the state for generations.
Read MoreAcadiana’s Mardi Gras takes the gold. Purple, green and gold, actually. This from someone who was born and raised in New Orleans. I spent my early Februarys on a wooden bench on top of a ladder, soaking in the Carnival. As I grew older, I branched out into attending Mardi Gras balls, dragging the Quarter, even riding in the parades giving progress reports. When I moved to Acadiana after college, (a girl must have a job…), I thought I’d lost Mardi Gras as I knew it forever. But I was wrong.
Read MoreJohn Deere’s Deanna Kovar details how the company is cutting parts costs, adjusting production and responding to EPA moves on Right to Repair and DEF as farm income pressure keeps the ag equipment market in a downturn.
Read MoreThis week, the USDA announced awardees for two of its export support programs.
The department’s Foreign Market Development (FMD) Program and the Market Access Program (MAP) are cost-share partnerships that help U.S. producers build and maintain a competitive presence in the global marketplace, according to USDA.
Read MoreWith a pair of scissors in hand and a crowd of excited supporters crammed into the hallway around him, Eric Greely beamed as he cut a red ribbon spanning the doorway of a new food pantry for students at Capitol High School in Baton Rouge.
Read MoreA slimy pest is plaguing Louisiana - causing utter destruction for crawfish and rice harvesters.
The apple snail, native to South America, is an invasive species that carries a parasite called rat lungworm, which can be fatal to humans and devastating to crops.
Read MoreAs we look ahead to another year of challenges in the farm economy, indicators of farm financial health are under close inspection. Filing for Chapter 12 bankruptcy is a last resort for farmers who have undertaken large debt to continue operating with increased flexibility for payments. AFBF Market Intel reports have long followed annual filings of Chapter 12 family farm bankruptcies, and this year’s uptick is another reminder of the strain American farmers and ranchers face.
Read MoreLouisiana Gov. Jeff Landry (R) issued a disaster declaration for the crawfish industry Wednesday, according to a press release.
Read MoreI had my first platter of boiled crawfish for the 2026 season last week, and it was well worth the wait.
Crawfish Time on Ridge Road in Lafayette was bustling the week before Mardi Gras, with crowds in the restaurant and drive-thru focused on one thing: putting away 3 or 5 pounds of succulent, tender crawfish and fixings.
Read MoreU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is providing $1 billion in Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) Program assistance for specialty crops and sugar, commodities not covered through the previously announced Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program. These one-time bridge payments will help address market disruptions, elevated input costs, persistent inflation, and market losses from foreign competitors engaging in unfair trade practices that impede exports. Specialty crop producers have until March 13, 2026, to report 2025 acres to USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA).
Read MoreThe USA Rice Farm Policy Fly-in held here this week marked the final leg in the two-year Rice Leadership Development Class program and the 2024 Class participated in events and were recognized at a graduation ceremony.
Read MoreThanks to Buck Leonards and the staff at Louisiana Farm and Ranch for providing the digital edition.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to review and revive key local food purchasing programs that have supported farmers and ranchers while providing fresh, nutritious food to schools and food banks across Louisiana.
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