Louisiana Crops Newsletter - Volume 16, Issue 2 - April 2026
Louisiana farmers are facing a tough start to the 2026 season, with early pest pressure in cotton, emerging concerns like corn leafhopper, and significant crop damage from a mid-March freeze that forced widespread corn replanting—estimated at 60–70% of acres. Dry conditions and rising irrigation costs are adding pressure, while proper cover crop management remains important to limit pests. Despite setbacks, soybean acreage is expected to increase, and early signs show soybeans may recover from freeze damage if conditions improve.
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USDA's Rollins Signals Possible Action Soon On Fertilizer Prices
Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins says it will require a significant effort from the administration to help improve fertilizer costs in the short term.
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2026 Insect Pest Survey Notes Early Redbanded Stink Bug Activity
As spring conditions continue to favor insect activity, the LSU AgCenter Field Crop IPM Team conducted an insect pest survey in 15 parishes to document insect pests present in vegetation adjacent to row crop fields. Using sweepnet, we sampled multiple vegetation types (including rye, oats, clovers, hairy vetch, and mixed grasses) at 39 sites.
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USDA Designates 21 Mississippi Counties Natural Disaster Areas Due To Recent Drought And Six Parishes in Louisiana
This Secretarial natural disaster designation 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. Emergency loans can be used to meet various recovery needs including the replacement of essential items such as equipment or livestock, reorganization of a farming operation, or to refinance certain debts.
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New Drone Remote Sensing Handbook Available Nation-Wide
The LSU AgCenter participates as a member of the S-1069 group (a national group to promote remote sensing with drones across the country) and we partly contributed to this handbook, so feel free to download.
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Young Farmers and Ranchers Youth Livestock Show Cultivates Lifelong Skills for Next Generation of Louisiana Agriculture
More than 130 head of cattle passed through the show ring April 10–11 at the Florida Parishes Arena in Amite during the Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Youth Livestock Show. The annual event brings young exhibitors from across the state together to showcase their livestock while gaining insight into the agriculture industry.
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Louisiana Crawfish Season Under Pressure as Labor and Pests Take a Toll
This year’s crawfish season is shaping up to be a mixed bag. Farmers are in the middle of peak harvest, but the catch so far has been average, with several challenges impacting production.
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Louisiana Farmers Adjust Planting Plans After Freeze
Mixed weather and shifting input costs are shaping planting decisions this season, especially for farmers forced to replant.
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USTR's Callahan Says Tariff Policy Delivering Results For Agriculture
The Trump administration’s top ag trade official says the tariff policy has been a game changer for the industry.
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Farm Bill Talks Gain Momentum Amid Pressure From Farm Groups
Congressional leaders are signaling renewed momentum on a long-delayed farm bill as pressure builds from agricultural groups ahead of the 2026 planting season.
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USA Rice Awarded $5M In Additional USDA Funds To Expand Export Markets
Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA/FAS) announced a significant new investment aimed at strengthening export opportunities for American agriculture. Through the America First Trade Promotion Program (AFTPP), a $285 million initiative, USDA/FAS is providing additional support to help U.S. farmers, ranchers, and producers expand their reach in international markets and remain competitive globally. As part of this effort, USA Rice was awarded $5 million in funding to further its work promoting U.S.-grown rice abroad.
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What Soybeans Have to Do With Online Betting
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission is leaning into a peculiar argument: placing bets in online prediction markets is just another form of commodities investing.
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House Farm Bill Appears to Have Broad Support, GOP Leaders Say
House Republican leaders are shifting into high gear to boost support for the farm bill ahead of next week’s planned vote on the package, according to a whip notice obtained by Politico on Monday.
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Secretary Rollins Announces the Creation of the USDA Office of Seafood
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has officially launched its first-ever Office of Seafood, marking a historic moment for commercial fishermen, aquaculture producers, and seafood processors across the country. The announcement was made April 15 by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins alongside Alaska Sen. Dan Sullivan and other federal officials.
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From Pond to Table: Jeff Davis Crawfish Tours Highlight South Louisiana’s Cajun Culture
It’s rather easy to spot a crawfish pond in Southwest Louisiana, especially Jeff Davis Parish, where you’ll find over 80 thousand acres of Louisiana’s rice and crawfish fields.
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