Few agricultural success stories are more uniquely Louisiana than the remarkable growth of crawfish farming. What began as a relatively small agricultural enterprise has evolved into a major contributor to the state’s economy. Amazingly, Louisiana now produces an estimated 90 to 95 percent of the nation’s crawfish! I was fortunate to witness and participate in part of that transformational growth during my early career with the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service.
Read MoreLouisiana must expand its ports and renew the federal farm bill to protect and grow the state’s economic engine, according to Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner, Dr. Michael Strain.
Strain urged federal lawmakers to unite and pass a comprehensive farm bill that aligns federal policy with the realities that local farmers face daily.
Read MoreWe finally got the data back from the LSU Ag Chemistry lab evaluated imidacloprid residue in/on leaves collected 2 and 6 days after application using drop tips from a hiboy, overhead with a CO2 backpack sprayer or untreated control plants (where the hiboy went through but did not actively spray in that area). We then collected leaves (n=5 per treatment) with no visible symptoms (green), those with partial symptoms (yellowing either at the tip or along half of the leaf), and those fully yellowed.
Read MoreThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is extending the deadline for farmers to apply for Stages 1 and 2 of the Supplemental Disaster Relief Program (SDRP) to Sept. 30, 2026. Additionally, USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is providing greater flexibility for farmers who experienced quality losses on eligible crops.
Now, when applying for this key program, farmers who experienced quality-related discounts can use verifiable and reliable documentation to show quality losses due to natural disasters occurring 2023 and 2024.
Read MoreCrawfish is part of our culture in South Louisiana, and Abbeville High School is educating its students about the industry by using a pond on its campus.
If you're from Acadiana, you already know that the crawfish industry is huge across our region, and many farmers in our area make great money by harvesting crawfish.
Read MoreBlockchain technology is used for securely recording and sharing information. Instead of one company, bank or government maintaining the official ledger of record, debits, credits, etc., blockchain networks distribute control and maintenance across a network of computers that make up a decentralized, digital ledger.
Read MoreAmerican Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on President Trump’s plan to import an additional 300,000 metric tons of beef in addition to already record-high beef imports.
“Farmers and ranchers are extremely disappointed to learn that President Trump plans to flood the American market with hundreds of millions of pounds of foreign-raised beef. The U.S. is already importing beef at record levels. This decision would be an unprecedented move and would translate to nearly an additional 60% increase in imports over the next 90 days.”
Read MoreRepresentatives from RWE Americas, a global energy company with major operations in renewable energy, electricity generation, and energy trading, joined SU Ag Center faculty and staff on August 19, 2026, at the Matthews Center for Innovation and Disaster Recovery at Southern University for a check presentation and special discussion highlighting the partnership. The event focused on the shared commitment of both organizations to creating opportunities for youth through education, community investment, and workforce development.
Read MoreThe Southern University Ag Center will host a Drone Part 107 Test Preparation Certification Training from August 31 – September 3, 2026, at the M.A. Edmound Multi-Purpose Building, 14600 Scenic Hwy., Baton Rouge, LA.
The four-day training, which will be held from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily, is designed for farmers, researchers, students, educators, entrepreneurs, and professionals interested in using drones for agriculture, research, business applications, or anyone seeking to become an FAA-certified drone pilot.
Read MoreAn extended period of heat can easily become a bit too much to manage when work is done outdoors.
Robert Duncan, a fourth-generation farmer, manages crops like soybeans, wheat, livestock, and more on his land in Boyce. He is the owner and operator of R&R Duncan Cattle.
Read MoreFor the first time ever, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries is holding a recreational alligator hunting season, and the lottery for tags opened this morning. LDWF Secretary Tyler Bosworth says the state is able to open up the harvesting of alligators to recreational hunters thanks to an act of legislature in this year’s session, because the state is being overrun with alligators.
Read MoreLouisiana State Rep. Brett Geymann (R-Lake Charles) says the residents of a Moss Bluff community identified as the site for a proposed 4,700-acre solar farm don’t want to see the development in their neighborhood, and that he is opposing the site from the state level.
The industrial solar farm proposed by California-based Orion Renewable Energy Group would include up to 2.5 million solar panels in a space that would be kept 300 feet from residential property lines, with a greenspace buffer that includes trees and shrubs.
Read MoreYou’ve likely heard the term “flash drought” being thrown around over the last week. We saw this in 2023, but that was a special case, and we were already seeing extreme to exceptional drought by late August. In this case, we range from abnormally dry to moderate drought, but 100 degree days, and little forecasted rain means we will likely see a quick surge upward in drought intensity and coverage.
Read MoreExcessively high temperatures and a general lack of widespread rain have much of Louisiana staring at drought once again, with the CPC noting a good chance that drought will expand across most/all of the Pelican State rather quickly in the upcoming weeks.
"Rapid Onset Drought", sometimes referred to as "flash drought", will be an issue as Louisiana heads into the next couple of weeks.
Read MoreSugarcane farmers from across the country gathered in Colorado for the American Sugar Alliance’s 41st Annual International Sweetener Symposium to address pressing industry challenges.
Growers focused on the combined impacts of recent drought, invasive pests and foreign trade pressures affecting domestic production.
Read More
