Widespread USDA Farm Program Payments Expected in October
An ag economist says widespread USDA farm program payments are expected for crop farmers beginning next month.
David Widmar with Ag Economic Insights tells Brownfield farmers will receive the higher payment from either the Ag Risk Coverage program or Price Loss Coverage program.
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Farm Bureau President: Keeping Farmland in Agriculture Starts With Keeping Farmers on the Land
Farmland is disappearing across the United States as development and other pressures reduce the amount of land available for agriculture.
American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) President Zippy Duvall says competition for farmland is growing as housing, businesses, solar projects, and data centers expand.
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UN Appoints US Agriculture Official Luke Lindberg to Head the World Food Program
The United Nations announced the appointment Friday of U.S. agriculture official Luke Lindberg to head the World Food Program, the U.N. food agency that calls itself “the world’s frontline responder to hunger” in conflicts, crises and emergencies around the world.
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SU Ag Center to Host GROW LA Initiative for Small Farmers and Business Owners in Ville Platte
The Southern University Ag Center will bring business development resources to small farmers and business owners in Ville Platte through its Growing Rural Opportunities through Workforce and Business Development, Louisiana (GROW LA) initiative.
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This USDA Lab Has Studied Threats to Food and Farms for Decades. Now its Scientists Must Relocate
Federal scientists are still scrambling to find new jobs or relocate across the country as Maryland’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center’s last days of operation approach. Even as their personal lives upend, employees are concerned that BARC’s legacy of impactful research will be left behind.
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Crews Contain 32-acre Brush Fire in Ouachita Parish
Ouachita Parish firefighters, with assistance from the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, contained a 32-acre brush fire in southwest Ouachita Parish.
The fire was brought under control within a few hours following a quick response from local crews and resources. Smoke from burning material inside the firebreak may remain visible in the area for several days.
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High Diesel Prices Hit Farmers as Officials Push Export Limits
U.S. farmers face record-high fuel expenses this year as the fall harvest kicks into gear while pressure grows on the Trump administration to impose a temporary ban on diesel exports that could bring down prices.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry advised President Donald Trump on social media site X Thursday to order a 90-day ban on U.S diesel exports while Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, said Tuesday he is 'open to exploring' federal actions “that would take pressure off prices.”
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Pipeline Explosion West of Jennings Forces Evacuations; Residents Given All-clear
Residents are back home after a natural gas pipeline explosion west of Jennings prompted evacuations and road closures Friday morning.
Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff Kyle Miers said the explosion happened around 8 a.m. near Farm Supply Road and U.S. 90.
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Migration Alert: Louisiana Teal Hunters Remain Optimistic Despite Mixed Conditions
Louisiana duck hunters will once again see a nine-day early teal season due to below-average population numbers. When the season opens on September 19, hunters across the state will be greeted with hot temperatures, but a slight front in the forecast for opening weekend should bring noticeably lower humidity and a better feel to the early morning air.
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USDA Extends Supplemental Disaster Relief Program Application Deadline, Announces New Flexibilities for 2023 and 2024 Quality Losses
The 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.
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New Duck Hunting Season Offers Potential Tool for Louisiana Rice Farmers
A steadily growing population of black-bellied whistling ducks is creating challenges for Louisiana rice farmers, but a new experimental hunting season could provide farmers and sportsmen with another tool to help manage the species.
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With McConnell Back, Senate Ag Committee Advances Farm Bill on Party Lines
Republican members of the Senate Agriculture Committee voted Wednesday to advance a farm bill, though Democrats on the committee voted against the package due to continued disagreements on a nutrition section of the bill.
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Venezuela Food Imports Recover as USDA Expands Trade
Venezuela’s dependence on imported food is creating new opportunities for U.S. agriculture, even as severe inflation continues to erode purchasing power and complicate the country’s economic recovery.
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USDA Launches Initiative to Bring More States Into Meat Inspection
Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the Stand-Up Program to provide up to $50 million in new funding to help states start or expand their own meat inspection programs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). The program carries out President Trump’s September 4 Executive Order to expand market access for American meat producers and strengthen the domestic supply chain.
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How Markets are Changing the Way Landowners Grow Trees
Louisiana’s forest-products sector is facing soft housing demand, pulp-mill closures, and changing timber markets—but the state may be better positioned than its peers for the next upswing. Forisk Consulting CEO Brooks Mendell joins Mind of the Forest to explain what landowners, mills, and policymakers should watch, from pulpwood and recycling to cross-laminated timber, wood energy, and new investment.
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