Dr. Michael Deliberto is a professor of agricultural policy at Louisiana State University. Goes over some of the ins and outs of the new USDA relief program.
Read More
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Louisiana State Director Troy Romero today announced that USDA is awarding $126,462 through the Housing Preservation Grant Program to Rebuilding Together New Orleans to assist rural homeowners with critical home repairs and housing rehabilitation.
Read More
As New World screwworm (NWS) continues to threaten animals in the U.S., Texas A&M University researchers are turning to the parasite's genetics to better understand where it comes from, how it changes and whether it could become resistant to the drugs used to control it.
Read More
On Friday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency published the 2025 Price Loss Coverage (PLC) payment rates for southern long grain and medium grain rice and assistance should be hitting participating producers’ accounts as early as today. The 2025 crop year marks the first year rice farmers will receive the enhanced protections provided under the modernized farm safety net provisions enacted under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). For rice farming, the PLC program is the cornerstone of the rice farm safety net, which OBBBA strengthened by raising the statutory reference price for long and medium grain rice to $16.90/cwt.
Read More
The sludge left over from sewage treatment may not sound appealing, but it has a practical use that Louisiana cattle ranchers now say needs more regulation.
Read More
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced loan interest rates for November 2026, which are effective Nov. 1, 2026. USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) loans provide important access to capital to help agricultural producers start or expand their farming operation, purchase equipment and storage structures or meet cash flow needs.
Read More
A team of teenage engineers from New Iberia has earned international recognition for a robot they designed and built largely from scratch, winning a first-place innovation award at a championship that drew hundreds of teams from around the world.
Read More
Investigators with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF), Enforcement Division, working in coordination with agents from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF), participated in a joint operation in Rapides Parish on October 24 that resulted in four arrests and 36 citations.
Read More
The 2027 Redbook from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association is now available. The pocket-sized booklet can help cattle producers effectively and efficiently record their daily production efforts by simplifying recordkeeping, which can enhance profitability and reduce stress levels.
Read More
Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced plans to purchase $472.5 million in American-grown and raised commodities, including $21 million in U.S.-grown long grain rice for distribution through domestic nutrition programs. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) continuously purchases agricultural commodities under Section 32 of the Agriculture Act of 1935 to assist producers and strengthen communities in need, which are funded by customs receipts transferred to the department.
Read More
A new pumpkin patch in Bossier City is giving families a chance to enjoy a fall tradition while learning a little more about where their pumpkins come from.
Hive and Harvest opened in September, offering visitors the opportunity to pick pumpkins grown directly on the farm rather than choosing from pumpkins brought in from elsewhere.
Read More
Charles Kenneth “Ken” Thornhill, beloved father, grandfather, brother and friend, passed away on Oct. 30, 2026, at the age of 84. He was the son of Ella Mae and Buddy Thornhill who preceded him in death and a longtime member of the Wisner, La., community.
To those who knew him, Ken was a caring friend whose charismatic personality and genuine warmth and kindness naturally drew people to him. He was also an avid hunter and enjoyed scuba diving.
Read More
Louisiana would join a trend among states that have banned certain foreign nations from gaining control of private property if its voters approve a change to the state constitution on Tuesday’s ballot.
Read More
As we flip the calendar to November, it looks like our weather pattern will also begin to flip. This is incredible news for pretty much everyone as we now have a significant part of the state in a D4 exceptional drought, which is the top of the scale when it comes to drought conditions.
Read More
Relief from high temperatures while welcomed does not address the continuing drought conditions that we have experienced across the state for most or all the 2026 growing season. While dry conditions are certainly affecting our grazing and forage production, it has been helpful regarding protecting the quality and harvest of other row crops. However, it seems that everyone looks forward to some rainfall to provide some relief from the dry conditions.
Read More