U.S. Seeking Fertilizer From Other Sources
The Trump administration is turning to other sources of fertilizer due to the ongoing shipping challenges caused by the Iran war. White House economic advisor Kevin Hassett said the administration is looking to Venezuela and possibly Morocco. “We’ve established licenses for Venezuela to produce more fertilizer, calling it an insurance policy against disruption,” Hassett told CNBC’s “Squawk Box” program. “I’m not saying we can eliminate what disruption there is so far, but we can minimize it.” Reuters also said fertilizer supplies have shrunk as the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran cut off critical nitrogen fertilizer supplies from the Gulf to the world’s farmers, sending prices spiking by more than a third in recent weeks. Bloomberg said the U.S. currently has duties in place on Moroccan phosphate, and the duties are now under review. “Pleas from U.S. farm groups to remove those fees that ramped up after the war began in Iran,” Bloomberg reported.
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Rising Fuel Prices Due To The Conflict In The Middle East Are Increasing Transportation Costs For Farmers
An ag economist says the ongoing conflict in the Middle East is putting more pressure on the entire supply chain.
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LDAF Accepting Applications For '26 Specialty Crop Block Grant
Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) is now accepting applications for the 2026 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP), funded through the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS).
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Federal Emergency Management Agency Designates 54 Parishes in Arkansas as Natural Disaster Areas Due To Severe Winter Storm: 6 Louisiana Contiguous Parishes Included
This Administrator’s Physical Loss Notification allows the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) to extend much-needed emergency credit to producers recovering from natural disasters through emergency loans.
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Economic Storm Worsens for America’s Farmers
Severe weather, high expenses and global uncertainty are hitting farmers from all sides, squeezing them to the breaking point. Fifty-four agriculture groups laid out the challenges facing rural America in a letter to President Trump today.
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Triticale Has Beneficial Uses
Triticale is a hybrid of wheat and rye and can be used as a food crop, animal feed or cover crop. Researchers with the LSU AgCenter are working on developing a variety that can give farmers the most benefits.
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Winn Parish Forest Fire Burns Thousands of Acres, Forces 250 To Evacuate
A forest fire near Hudson and Sikes in Winn Parish burned thousands of acres on March 18, forcing approximately 250 residents to evacuate before crews fully contained it by 8:30 p.m.
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Oil Spill in Terrebonne Bay Could Negatively Affect Louisiana Oyster Harvests
Last month’s oil spill from a terminal operated by the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port, or LOOP, is threatening the state’s oyster industry. Last month, a cargo transfer hose at the terminal located 18 miles offshore in Terrebonne Bay sprang a leak, spewing more than 31,000 gallons of Venezuelan crude into the bay. Mitch Jurisich, the chairman of the Louisiana Oyster Task Force, says the oil has now made contact with the coast, which can spell disaster.
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Vermilion Parish Rice Farmers Explore Microalgae as “Weird but Promising” Crop
In the heart of Cajun country, Allen Mclain farms about 3,000 acres of rice together with his wife, father, and two younger brothers. Much of their crop, all south of LA-14, is under threat. Saltwater from the Gulf is slowly, and some days quickly, making its way up through marshes, bayous, and over levees.
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Historic Strike at Colorado JBS Plant Threatens U.S. Cattle Industry
A historic labor strike at one of the country’s largest beef processing plants is sending early warning signs throughout the U.S. cattle and beef industry. Both producers and consumers may feel the impact.
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Corn and Soybeans Rally as Oil Prices Jump and Volatility Returns
An explosive upturn in energy prices — with crude oil recently reaching $119 per barrel (from the mid- $50s a month ago) and a strong influx of speculative money into the commodity complex — is providing underlying support for numerous contracts. Among these are corn, soybeans, and wheat.
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Louisiana Shuts Down Some Oyster Harvesting Areas After Oil Spill Raises Contamination Fears
State health officials have closed multiple oyster harvesting areas in coastal Louisiana as concerns grow over the impact of an oil spill near Port Fourchon.
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Mississippi River Mayors Warn AI, Fuel Costs and Drought Are Straining Key Waterway
Mayors from Minnesota to Louisiana traveled to Washington earlier this month with a bipartisan message that protecting the Mississippi River is not just an environmental issue, it is a matter of national security.
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Farmers Brace For Shortages After FCC Drone Ban
At last year’s National Farm Machinery Show in Kentucky, XAG’s E150 spray drone caught farmers’ eyes.
With its 154-pound payload capacity and 18.5-gallon liquid tank, the 2024 Chinese-made E150’s advanced radar system and rapidly charging battery represented cutting-edge ag spray drone technology. However, XAG’s presence at trade shows this year was clouded by regulatory uncertainty.
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Louisiana Themed Cakes are A Hit for One Local Bakery
Louisiana is known for its culture, and that includes sports, food, the outdoors, and so much more. Knowing that, one of the recent trends at wedding receptions has been to have a themed cake for the Groom on his big night, and one local bakery seems to have perfected some of the desired Louisiana themes.
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