Louisiana Farmers Blend Tradition and Innovation to Keep Agriculture Growing
For generations, Louisiana farmers have helped feed thousands while supporting an industry deeply connected to the state’s economy and culture. Today, maintaining that legacy requires farmers to balance longstanding traditions with new technologies, changing market demands and rising costs.
In honor of National Farmers Day on October 12, we take a closer look at the farmers behind some of Louisiana’s signature commodities and how they are navigating changes in agriculture while carrying on family traditions.
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Crop Market Report for Corn, Soybeans, Rice, and Cotton: October 2026
Last week, USDA announced that Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payments will be made available to eligible producers in October for the 2025 crop year. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) also increased the ARC/PLC payment limit from $125,000 to $155,000, starting with the 2025 crop year with annual adjustments based on inflation. The payment limit for the 2025 crop year is $160,000.
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Louisiana Agriculture: Trade, Fuel Costs, Harvest Safety and Fall Crops
Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain joined Mornings With Brian Haldane to discuss agriculture, international trade and the challenges facing Louisiana farmers. Strain highlighted efforts to strengthen Louisiana’s relationship with the United Kingdom through a new Louisiana-United Kingdom Trade Commission.
Louisiana already exports billions of dollars in goods to the U.K., including rice, beef, wood pellets, cotton, soybeans and petrochemicals.
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Bossier Parish Police Jury Highlights 4-H, Local Champions and Parish Growth
The Bossier Parish Police Jury recognized local youth, approved several parish projects and received an update on population growth during its Oct. 7 regular meeting.
The meeting included a celebration of National 4-H Week, with Erica Derma, Bossier Parish 4-H parish chair, highlighting the work of local 4-H members.
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Rapides Parish Issues Burn Ban Due to Dry Conditions
Due to extremely dry conditions throughout the parish, Rapides Parish Police Jury President Craig Smith has issued a burn ban order for all private burning.
The order is effective immediately and will remain in effect until rescinded.
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Vernon Parish Youth Day Informs Next Generation on Agriculture Careers
The Vernon Parish Youth Day event invited up to 170 students from Vernon and Rapides Parish schools to learn about the different career fields in agriculture.
Organizers focused the event on the need for younger farmers, as the average age for a farmer is 60. There are multiple careers to choose from, but when work becomes harder for those to keep up, it’s crucial to keep the interest of the next generation.
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UL Lafayette Receives Second USDA Grant to Expand Support for Rural Businesses
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette has received a $174,565 grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Business Development Grant Program to expand support for entrepreneurs in rural communities across Acadiana.
The grant, the University’s second USDA Rural Development award supporting its Rural Economic Development Innovation Initiative, or REDII, will establish the Rural Enterprise and Innovation Accelerator, or REIA.
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According to Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Mike Strain, 2026 Louisiana Sugarcane Harvesting Season is Going Well
The Louisiana Sugarcane harvest is underway and the state’s Agriculture Commissioner, Mike Strain, says it is going well. Heading into the season there was a concern about the pasture mealybug, an invasive species first identified in Louisiana last year. Strain says the small, white pest likes to drink sugar.
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USDA Announces $1.8 Billion in 2026 Conservation Program Payments
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today it is issuing approximately $1.8 billion in Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) payments to agricultural producers and landowners for their participation in key conservation programs for 2026. These payments include Grassland CRP payments that play an important role in the Trump Administration’s Ranchers First Initiative announced by USDA Secretary Brooke L. Rollins that includes sweeping actions focused on rebuilding the Great American Cattle Herd and putting America’s ranchers back at the center of our nation’s food supply.
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SU Ag Center To Continue Its Free Teletherapy Services For Rural Communities
The Southern University Ag Center’s free virtual counseling program “Rural Connections for Rural Resilience,” has reopened for enrollment.
The program, which is open to adults, aims to combat alarming mental health trends by providing free teletherapy services to rural communities where access to mental health services is often limited due to geographical barriers.
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USDA Announces Record Payments Of $13.8 Billion For 2025 Crop Year Revenue And Price Safety Net Programs
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced that the Farm Service Agency’s Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) will generate approximately $13.8 billion in gross payments to eligible agricultural producers for the 2025 crop year; the largest annual payout by far since these key safety net programs were established in the 2014 Farm Bill.
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Harvest Season Begins for Sugarcane in Louisiana
Through the months of October to December, farmers across the state begin their harvest of sugarcane. The crop has grown for the last 200 years in Louisiana, becoming a staple in its agriculture and economy.
Director of LSU AgCenter’s Audubon Sugar Institute, Dr. Gillian Eggleston, said the harvest time has varied in recent years due to the crops’ success.
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Journey From Farm to Table at This Inaugural Fundraiser
Baton Roots, a local community farm and garden network, is hosting a one-of-a-kind farm-to-table experience to raise funds this Saturday, Oct. 10.
Since the farm’s produce is plentiful and flavorful, Baton Roots director Mitchell Provensal and Walls Project executive director Dr. Ashlyn Harrison decided the best way to show it off was with a direct farm-to-table meal held on the farm grounds. Thus, the idea for the first Boots on the Farm fundraiser came about.
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USDA Awards Nearly $75K To Strengthen Sugarcane Bagasse Economy in Lafourche Parish
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development is awarding nearly $75,000 to the South Central Planning and Development Commission.
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Louisiana Master Farmers Receive Discounts from Louisiana Farm Bureau Insurance
Louisiana Farm Bureau Insurance is giving the state’s farmers and ranchers another reason to join the Louisiana Master Farmer Program administered by the LSU AgCenter. Master Farmers in good standing will receive a 10% discount on Ag Promise policies starting November 1, 2026.
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