This past weekend, the Louisiana Rice Council and the Louisiana Rice Growers Association (LARGA) held their joint annual membership meeting here. The organizations’ respective presidents, Eric Unkel and Alan Lawson, presided over the business meetings.
Read MoreThe Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation is joining a broad coalition of agricultural organizations, cotton industry leaders and major retailers in urging Congress to support the bipartisan Buying American Cotton Act (H.R. 7230).
Read MoreThe Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission will host a saddle microchipping event on Wednesday, March 4, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. It will be held at the Florida Parishes Arena located at 1301 NW Central Avenue, Amite, LA 70422.
Read MoreLa Nina has done a number on Louisiana drought conditions. In the last 30 days, we've seen around 20-50% of the climatological average amount of rain. A large part of the state is also running a significant precipitation deficit over the last year. This has put parts of the state into the extreme drought category, and it explains all the wildfires and burn bans.
Read MoreFlorida Farm Bureau has created a disaster relief fund that will assist Florida farmers and ranchers who have suffered significant agricultural losses or expenses because of weather-related events and other natural disasters.
Read MoreU.S. farm groups are urging Congress to move quickly on a new Farm Bill, warning that continued delays could increase uncertainty for producers heading into the 2026 growing season. Commodity organizations say programs covering crop insurance, conservation, nutrition assistance and farm safety nets need long-term stability.
Read MoreLast winter, Louisiana sugarcane farmers watched a historic snowfall do something few expected. It helped protect the 2025 crop from widespread freeze damage. The snow acted as insulation, shielding the roots and preserving the buds that would fuel the next growing season.
Read MoreDecember marks the 7th consecutive month with below-average rainfall for Louisiana. However, monthly rain totals demonstrated a substantial gradient across the state, averaging under 2.00” for the northern 1/3rd of the state but running near-normal to above normal (4.00” to 6.00”+) across much of southern Louisiana.
Read MoreEach year, the Louisiana Association of Conservation Districts awards a distinguished member of the conservation community the Louisiana Conservation Champion Award.
This year's recipient is Ronald Ard, of West Feliciana Parish.
Read MoreA Red Flag Warning and Wind Advisory are in effect as more than three dozen wildfires ignited across Louisiana over the weekend, fueled by drought conditions and strong winds.
Read MoreSince 2019, LSU Diagnostics has worked in close partnership with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries to provide surveillance testing for Chronic Wasting Disease in the state’s deer population. That collaboration led to a significant milestone in 2022 when CWD was detected for the first time in deer along the Mississippi and Louisiana border.
Read MoreFire crews across Louisiana are continuing to monitor and mop up multiple wildfires that ignited over the weekend, fueled by dry vegetation, low humidity, and gusty winds. State forestry officials say dozens of fires sparked across the state, with most now contained but still posing concerns due to lingering hotspots.
Read MoreA new generation of startups is reshaping one of Louisiana’s biggest legacy industries: agriculture.
From rice fields in Acadia Parish to sugarcane stretches along the Mississippi River, farming is both a cultural identity and a financial engine. But as climate volatility intensifies and labor shortages squeeze growers, agricultural technology (agtech) is taking off to help farms adapt to modern challenges.
Read MoreToday’s chickens grow faster and bigger than ever before. While this might not sound like a good thing, it is. These birds are also healthier, more affordable to grow, and feed more people than ever before.
Read MoreRAFI’s grantmaking programs aim to support farmers across the Southeast U.S. and Caribbean islands in their efforts to access land and infrastructure, transition to sustainable practices, and recover from disasters and farm crises. Since the 1990s, our grantmaking has evolved to reflect shifts in the agricultural landscape and our growing focus on sustainability, equity, and resilience in farming communities.
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