November 2016 Articles

Archives by Months

Just Rambling November 2016

Just Rambling:
When you read this “Just Rambling” America will have elected a new president. We have been bombarded with this poll and that poll but the race has been so tight that no one has definitely been able to predict a winner. When I think about the two candidates running I think about some quotes by Will Rogers. Will Rogers said, “I don’t make jokes, I just watch the government and report the facts.” Will Rogers was born in 1879 and was killed... read more

Spiritual Corner:

Spiritual Corner:
Replacing Complaints with Thanksgiving
I have a tendency to complain a lot. I also whine and throw myself pity parties. One reason I usually do this is because, as you all well know, life is HARD. I find myself dwelling on that fact all too often. I feel tired and burdened, worn thin and inadequate. Thus, I begin my pity party. Well, let me tell you my friends, I’m specifically writing this article to me, but just maybe it will... read more

Fear and uncertainty in cattle markets

Fear and uncertainty in cattle markets—The beef industry’s transition to larger beef supplies in 2016 has been challenging. A persistently bearish psychology and ridiculous volatility in live and feeder cattle futures recently has contributed to a meltdown in cash markets and a mood among producers that is best described as fear. As a result some producers (and lenders) seem unable to do much of anything at this time. There seems to be a fear that that there is no... read more

Cattle producers hear about nutrition, pasture management at field day

Cattle producers hear about nutrition, pasture management at field day
Writer: Olivia McClure at 225-578-3262 or omcclure@agcenter.lsu.edu
(10/24/16) ALEXANDRIA, La. – Cattle producers heard from LSU AgCenter experts about the importance of good nutrition and pasture management at a field day at the State Evacuation Shelter on Oct. 20.
The field day, which was forced indoors because of rain, drew an audience of about 70 people.
Vince Deshotel,... read more

Factors Affecting Costs and Returns

Factors Affecting Costs and Returns—In the simplest way, annual costs can be described as the total dollar input necessary to run a cattle operation for a year. EVERY input cost!! For many reasons, cost of production remains an illusive figure for most. Many producers seriously underestimate the total dollar input, giving a false impression about net returns. The ability to estimate production costs accurately is as important as a restricted breeding (calving)... read more

Louisiana cotton crop disappointing

Louisiana cotton crop disappointing Writer: Craig Gautreaux at 225-578-5673 or cgautreaux@agcenter.lsu.edu
(10/25/16) ALEXANDRIA, La. – By the end of October, Louisiana cotton producers are expected to have completed harvesting this year’s crop. Based on reports, the flooding rains of August had a significant impact on the crop, especially in the central part of the state.
Dan Fromme, LSU AgCenter cotton specialist, said yields are down across the board in... read more

Sweet potato producers see weather-related losses

Sweet potato producers see weather-related losses Writer: Johnny Morgan at 225-578-8484 or jmorgan@agcenter.lsu.edu
(10/25/16) CHASE, La. – Louisiana sweet potato growers are experiencing a tough harvest period following record rains that hit the state in August.
In north Louisiana, many growers took a double hit from wet weather, first in March and again in August, said Myrl Sistrunk, LSU AgCenter extension associate.
Wet weather in the spring had a negative... read more

Pansies, violas make ideal winter flower gardens

Pansies, violas make ideal winter flower gardens
Editor: Rick Bogren
at 225-578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu By Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter Horticulturist at 225-578-2222 or dgill@agcenter.lsu.edu Pansies and violas are popular cool-season bedding plants used to beautify gardens in Louisiana during fall, winter and spring. Pansies and violas thrive in the chilly... read more

Growers learn ways to profit from pumpkin patches

Growers learn ways to profit from pumpkin patches
Writer: Karol Osborne at 318-614-5673 or kosborne@agcenter.lsu.edu
Vegetable growers looking to grow pumpkins for fun or profit learned strategies to select varieties and increase yields at a recent workshop at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station.
Taking an agritourism approach is one way to enhance profits on the farm, Kiki Fontenot, LSU AgCenter specialist, said at the Oct. 18 event. Farmers can earn more per pumpkin... read more

NCBA Requests Extension to FDA Comment Period

NCBA Requests Extension to FDA Comment Period Source: www.Beltway Beef Newsletter The National Cattlemen's Beef Association, American Association of Bovine Practitioners, and Academy of Veterinary Consultants filed a joint letter on Wednesday to the Federal Register requesting a 90 day extension to the public comment period concerning the Food and Drug Administration's notice of... read more

USDA Invests $1.7 Billion to Protect Sensitive Agricultural Lands through Conser

USDA Invests $1.7 Billion to Protect Sensitive Agricultural Lands through Conservation Reserve Program
More than Half a Million Americans Involved with Protecting 24 Million Acres
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will issue nearly $1.7 billion in payments to more than half of a million Americans who have contracts with the government to protect sensitive agricultural lands. The investment, part of the voluntary USDA Conservation Reserve Program... read more

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

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,... read more

Government and Industry Groups Ask Court to Overturn EPA Water Rule

Government and Industry Groups Ask Court to Overturn EPA Water Rule Source: www.fb.org
WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 1, 2016 - The American Farm Bureau Federation, along with dozens of agricultural, business and municipal entities, today asked a federal court to vacate the EPA's and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' "Waters of the United States" rule. The brief filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit lays out in detail the substance of the groups' allegations. It follows a year... read more

Use weed killers properly

Use weed killers properly Editor: Rick Bogren at 225-578-5839or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu
By Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter Horticulturist at 225-578-2222 or dgill@agcenter.lsu.edu
Using weed killers or herbicides should be approached very carefully by the gardener. After all, you are introducing into your landscape substances that are designed specifically to kill plants. It is entirely possible that you could seriously damage... read more

LSU AgCenter committed to poultry research, education 

LSU AgCenter committed to poultry research, education
Writer: Olivia McClure at 225-578-3262 or omcclure@agcenter.lsu.edu Louisiana’s poultry industry has grown in recent years to become the state’s largest animal enterprise, bringing in $1.6 billion annually. The LSU AgCenter continues to conduct research to help the industry thrive in Louisiana along with outreach efforts to get young people interested in poultry... read more

FDA Awards Louisiana Millions to Implement

FDA Awards Louisiana Millions to Implement Food Safety Rule
Louisiana is one of 42 states awarded millions of dollars by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help implement the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) produce safety rule. The rule, which the FDA finalized in November 2015, establishes science-based minimum standards for the safe growing, harvesting, packing and holding of fruits and vegetables grown for human consumption.
“The overall goal of this project is to enhance... read more

AgCenter receives grant to inform produce growers about food safety

AgCenter receives grant to inform produce growers about food safety
Writer: Olivia McClure at 225-578-3262 or omcclure@agcenter.lsu.edu The LSU AgCenter is participating in a $3.3 million grant to help produce growers improve their safety practices ahead of the implementation of a new federal rule.... read more

USDA Announces Enrollment Period for Safety Net Coverage in 2017

USDA Announces Enrollment Period for Safety Net Coverage in 2017
WASHINGTON, Oct. 28, 2016 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that producers on farms with base acres under the safety net programs established by the 2014 Farm Bill, known as the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, can begin visiting FSA county offices starting Nov. 1, 2016, to sign contracts and enroll for the 2017 crop year.... read more

USDA Announces Streamlined Guaranteed Loans and Additional Lender Category for S

USDA Announces Streamlined Guaranteed Loans and Additional Lender Category for Small-Scale Operators
Options Help More Beginning, Small and Urban Producers Gain Access to Credit
WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2016 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of a streamlined version of USDA guaranteed loans, which are tailored for smaller scale farms and urban producers. The program, called EZ Guarantee Loans, uses a simplified application process... read more