October 2016 Articles

Archives by Months

Just Rambling October 2016

Just Rambling:
As I write this article today, October 3, I turn 66 years of age. As I celebrate and thank the Lord for allowing me to live 66 years I think about my parents, grandparents, great grandparents and the lives they lived. I ask myself, what would they think if they were able to come back now and see the America of today. I will venture to say that they would be very shocked at what they see. God’s commandments being ignored by the killing of thousands of unborn babies... read more

Faith Like a Pumpkin Plant 

Faith Like a Pumpkin Plant
It’s finally October, which means it’s finally Fall! Fall brings many of my favorite things such as hunting season, football, cool days, coffee, and PUMPKINS! I’ve always had a sort of fetish for pumpkins, so this year my husband and I decided to plant some at our house. As we’ve been watering and caring for our pumpkin plants, it made me think of how a pumpkin plant can be related to our spiritual life.
When we first... read more

NCBA Takes Stand Against HSUS Attempt to Weaken Beef Checkoff

NCBA Takes Stand Against HSUS Attempt to Weaken Beef Checkoff Source: www.beefusa.org WASHINGTON (Sept. 16, 2016) - The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association was recently notified that Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) attorneys have filed a lawsuit against USDA’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) on behalf of the Organization for Competitive... read more

Proposed Estate Tax Regulations Threaten Family Businesses

Proposed Estate Tax Regulations Threaten Family Businesses Source: www.beefusa.org The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association along with more than 3,800 organizations and family-owned enterprises sent a letter to Treasury Secretary... read more

Senate Report Highlights EPA Enforcement of WOTUS Rule

Senate Report Highlights EPA Enforcement of WOTUS Rule Source: www.beefusa.org WASHINGTON (Sept. 20, 2016) – Today, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released theirreport highlighting examples of EPA illegally asserting jurisdiction over features traditionally exempt from the Clean... read more

Experts offer advice on choosing replacement beef heifers

Experts offer advice on choosing replacement beef heifers
Writer: Bruce Schultz at 337-788-8821 or bschultz@agcenter.lsu.edu (09/19/16) MANGHAM, La. – Sound replacement heifer selection is essential to running an efficient cow-calf operation, an LSU AgCenter cattle expert said at a field day on Sept. 15. Goals for replacement heifers include calving unassisted each year, reaching puberty and breed in the... read more

Orchard care enhances pecan production Writer: Johnny Morgan

Orchard care enhances pecan production Writer: Johnny Morgan at 225-578-8484 or jmorgan@agcenter.lsu.edu
LSU AgCenter specialists provided valuable information to pecan growers on how to maintain their trees at a field day.
“We wanted to give our agents more training on pecan production and to also bring the members of the Pecan Growers Association in to receive this information,” said AgCenter agent Stuart Gauthier.... read more

Flooding damage to agriculture now estimated at $277 million

Flooding damage to agriculture now estimated at $277 million
Writer: Olivia McClure at 225-578-3262 or omcclure@agcenter.lsu.edu (09/13/16) BATON ROUGE, La. – An LSU AgCenter economist now estimates that last month’s historic flooding in south Louisiana will cost farmers $277 million, more than doubling his original figure of $110 million.... read more

USDA Designates 11 Parishes in Louisiana as Primary Natural

USDA Designates 11 Parishes in Louisiana as Primary Natural Disaster Areas with Assistance to Producers in Texas
WASHINGTON, Sep. 22, 2016 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 11 parishes in Louisiana as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by due to losses caused by severe storms and flooding that occurred from Aug. 11, 2016, through Aug. 31, 2016. Those parishes are: Acadia, Ascension, Cameron, Evangeline, Iberia, Jefferson Davis, Lafayette, St. James, St. Landry,... read more

Entice birds to your landscape

Entice birds to your landscape Editor: Rick Bogren at 225-578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu By Dan Gill LSU AgCenter Horticulturist
Birds can contribute wonderful things to the enjoyment of a landscape, such as movement, color, sounds and even pest control. The presence of birds is almost universally welcome among gardeners. Gardeners can even go so far as to design and plant landscapes that are particularly attractive... read more

Lawns require fall care, too

Lawns require fall care, too Editor: Rick Bogren at 225-578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu
Lawn care definitely changes as the weather begins to cool. By October, the growth of warm-season grasses like St. Augustine, centipede, bermuda and zoysia begins to slow down. As a result, now is not a good time to do anything that would disrupt or damage the turf, such as filling, aerating or dethatching. Although we won’t have to mow as often, continue... read more

Utilize the Opportunity to Extend the Grazing Season

Utilize the Opportunity to Extend the Grazing Season The unusually wet conditions in August this year should provide an opportunity for stockpiling some additional grass growth and stretching the grazing season later into the fall or winter period. Several studies have shown stockpiled bermudagrass can provide adequate nutrition to meet the requirements of late-winter or spring calving cows for several weeks after frost. Bahiagrass can be utilized as stockpiled forage but has been shown to be... read more

EPA Violated Personal Privacy of Farmers, Ranchers

EPA Violated Personal Privacy of Farmers, Ranchers Source: www.fb.org WASHINGTON, D.C., September 12, 2016 -- The Environmental Protection Agency has violated the personal privacy of tens of thousands of farmers and ranchers, according to a unanimous ruling issued by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit.... read more

Statement by Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding

Statement by Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding Senate Report on Federal Overreach Under Clean Water Act Source: www.fb.org WASHINGTON, D.C., September 20, 2016 - "The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works today released a report that exposes the administration's reckless and unlawful actions in enforcing... read more

Statement by Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau

Statement by Zippy Duvall, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding Urban Ag Act of 2016
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 27, 2016 – "Regardless of where or how America's farmers and ranchers produce food, giving them the technology and tools to succeed supports our nation's strength and security. The Urban Agricultural Act of 2016 would do that for farmers in urban settings. As an organization that supports farmers of all sizes, commodities and production systems, Farm Bureau believes this legislation will build... read more

American Farm Bureau Urges Caution on Ag Mergers

American Farm Bureau Urges Caution on Ag Mergers
WASHINGTON, D.C., September 20, 2016 - Farmers and ranchers know market forces have led to major-company mergers like Bayer-Monsanto, but they cannot afford to lose access to technology and innovation if they go through, American Farm Bureau Federation Chief Economist Dr. Bob Young told the Senate Judiciary Committee today. "AFBF has had several--and... read more

Strain Elected President of National Agricultural Organization

Strain Elected President of National Agricultural Organization Source: www.ldaf.state.la.us
Baton Rouge, La. (September 26, 2016) – The National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) is under new leadership. Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., will serve as NASDA’s 2016-2017 President. Strain succeeds Nebraska Director of Agriculture Greg Ibach.
“As president of NASDA, Louisiana will play a key leadership role in advancing food safety, developing the... read more

Strain Statement on Updated Crop Damage Estimates

Strain Statement on Updated Crop Damage Estimates – Damage Caused by Historic Flooding
Baton Rouge, La. (September 13, 2016) – Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., travels to Washington D.C. again tomorrow seeking funding for farmers who suffered severe crop and infrastructure damages during the historic flooding event in August. According to LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry, damage is currently estimated at $276,697,110.
“I am working closely with Governor John Bel Edwards to secure funding... read more

S. Fish and Wildlife Service Takes Steps to Address ESA

.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Takes Steps to Address ESA Deficiencies Source: Beltway Beef Newsletter WASHINGTON (Sept. 26, 2016) – Today, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service released a final rule that begins to address rampant abuse of the Endangered Species Act listing process. The rule limits petitions for new listings to one species and will require more substantive justification in order to file a petition for listing... read more

NRCS and US Forest Service Win Awards fromThe Longleaf Alliance

NRCS and US Forest Service Win Awards from The Longleaf Alliance
(Alexandria, LA) – Sept. 28, 2016 – The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the US Forest Service (Kisatchie National Forest) recently won awards from the Longleaf Alliance (LLA) for their work in the restoration and conservation of the Longleaf Pine Ecosystem in Louisiana. The Longleaf Alliance, formed in 1995, was established to ensure a sustainable future for the longleaf pine ecosystem through partnerships, landowner assistance and science based education... read more

Beef cattle, forage field day set for Oct. 20 in Alexandria

Beef cattle, forage field day set for Oct. 20 in Alexandria Writer: Johnny Morgan at 225-578-8484 or jmorgan@agcenter.lsu.edu (09/13/16) ALEXANDRIA, La. – A beef cattle and forage field day will be held at the LSU AgCenter Dean Lee Research Station on Oct. 20. Registration starts at 2:30 p.m. at the State Emergency Evacuation Shelter south of the LSU of Alexandria campus along U.S. Highway 71. The field tour will include presentations on the effect of fertilizer type on... read more