February 2017 Articles

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Just Rambling February 2017

Just Rambling:
The North Louisiana Agri- Business Council’s Ag Expo was held on January 13th and 14th, 2017.This is a great Agriculture event for both young and old. This year’s attendance was as follows: Paid attendance through the door—7,385, Exhibitors/volunteers/workers— approximately 1,000, Outside only attendance—approximately 1,000 and children through Ag Alley—approximately1,500. The above figures total over 10,000 for... read more

 Spiritual Corner:

Spiritual Corner:
I have to admit, since President Trump’s inauguration, I have cringed when looking on facebook. As I scroll my newsfeed, I’m met with article after article and post after post of people bashing each other. I have liberal friends calling conservatives hypocrites and calling Donald Trump basically Satan himself. I have conservative friends calling liberals whiny children and my list could go on. I, for one, am sick of it. I try to read posts from... read more

La. Master Cattleman Course Offerings:

La. Master Cattleman Course Offerings: Louisiana Master Cattleman courses will be offered in Natchitoches beginning Monday, February 6th, and Farmerville beginning March 6th. The classes will be every Monday from 6:00 - 9:00 p.m. The cost of La. Master Cattle Producer certification is $125. This fee covers curriculum, meals, and... read more

Growing local produce theme of annual Ag Expo gardening seminar

Growing local produce theme of annual Ag Expo gardening seminar Writer: Johnny Morgan at 225-578-8484 or jmorgan@agcenter.lsu.edu
(01/19/17) WEST MONROE, La. – The idea of growing food or at least getting food locally seems to be more than just a passing trend, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Kerry Heafner
.That was a major topic of... read more

Louisiana 4-H Members Boosts Leadership Skills and Civic Engagement through Citi

Louisiana 4-H Members Boosts Leadership Skills and Civic Engagement through Citizenship Washington Focus: Presidential Inauguration

Last week, Louisiana 4-H youth, had the opportunity to join over 500 young people from across the country to learn about political processes in the vibrant, living classroom of the nation’s capital as part of Citizenship Washington Focus: Presidential Inauguration (CWF-PI),... read more

Forestry forum features marketing, feral hogs

Forestry forum features marketing, feral hogs Writer: Johnny Morgan at 225-578-8484 or jmorgan@agcenter.lsu.edu
(01/18/17) WEST MONROE, La. – Keeping Louisiana’s largest agricultural industry growing was the overarching theme of the 2017 Forestry Forum presented as part of AgExpo on Jan. 13.
The lineup of speakers included economists, attorneys, U.S. Department of Agriculture employees & LSU AgCenter researchers. LSU AgCenter forestry... read more

USDA’s Farm Service Agency Expands Bridges to Opportunity Nationwide

USDA’s Farm Service Agency Expands Bridges to Opportunity Nationwide
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2017 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) today announced the expansion of a unique service for farmers and ranchers. FSA’s Bridges to Opportunity program provides a one-stop-shop that connects producers with resources, programs and educational services offered across the department, as well as from other USDA partner organizations. Bridges... read more

You can grow vegetables in containers

You can grow vegetables in containers Editor: Rick Bogren at 225-578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu
By Dan Gill LSU AgCenter Horticulturist
If you have not considered the option of growing vegetables in containers, perhaps you should. Container gardens provide a way to grow vegetables when suitable land is not available. Apartment dwellers may only have a balcony where pots could be placed. Other gardeners may find that the only areas in their yards that get the full sun vegetables... read more

USDA Expands Grasslands Conservation Program to Small-Scale Livestock Producers

USDA Expands Grasslands Conservation Program to Small-Scale Livestock Producers
Helping Dairy, Beef and Other Producers Protect Working Grasslands in 43 States
WASHINGTON, Jan.19, 2017 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Val Dolcini today announced that USDA will accept over 300,000 acres in 43 states that were offered by producers during the recent ranking period for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) Grasslands enrollment with emphasis placed on small-scale... read more

Are You Prepared for the VFD Changes?

Are You Prepared for the VFD Changes? Heidi Ward, DVM, PhD, Assistant Professor - Veterinarian, University of Arkansas The changes to the Food and Drug Administration Veterinary Feed Directive regulations took effect on January 1, 2017. Resources are available through the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association website (www.beefusa.org/antibiotics) and the American Veterinary Medical Association... read more

Agritourism workshops to focus on farm safety

Agritourism workshops to focus on farm safety
Writer: Tobie Blanchard at 225-578-5649 or tblanchard@agcenter.lsu.edu (01/30/17) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter will host two agritourism safety management workshops in March to help people who use their lands for educational or recreational purposes follow good safety practices. PaPa Simpson’s Farm,... read more

National Monument Decisions Require Greater Oversight

National Monument Decisions Require Greater Oversight Source: www.fb.org The American Farm Bureau Federation spearheaded a coalition of 18 other groups with vital interests in protecting the multiple uses of the nation’s public lands today, urging President-elect Donald Trump to work with Congress to pass legislation to improve accountability and transparency in the designation... read more

House Approves Regulatory Reform Bill

House Approves Regulatory Reform Bill Source: www.fb.org The House earlier this week passed Farm Bureau-supported legislation that would ensure transparency and accountability by regulatory agencies, reaffirm congressional intent in rulemaking and strengthen the public’s right to know. As approved by lawmakers,... read more

Farmers and Ranchers Unite on Regulatory Reform

Farmers and Ranchers Unite on Regulatory Reform Zippy Duvall President, American Farm Bureau Federation Farmers and ranchers are ready for a common-sense, bipartisan approach when it comes to federal regulations and rulemaking. It’s time for agencies to work with farmers and ranchers and to consider how their regulations impact businesses and communities every day. And it’s time... read more

Winter Weed Control in Pastures

Winter Weed Control in Pastures from Dr. Ron Strahan, LSU AgCenter Buttercup control - Most producers think winter time is a dead period for weed control in pastures. However, winter weeds like buttercup will be blooming soon causing pastures to be covered with a sea of yellow flowers. Buttercup, a robust seed-producing annual is probably the most common and noticeable winter weed infesting pastures. I cannot tell you how many... read more

Cattlemen Express Concerns With Trump Administration's Trade Action

Cattlemen Express Concerns With Trump Administration's Trade Action Source: www.beefusa.org WASHINGTON (Jan. 23, 2017) -- Tracy Brunner, President of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, today released the following statement in response to President Trump’s announcement that he is withdrawing the United States from the Trans... read more

Cattlemen Support Nomination of Gov. Perdue to Lead U.S. Department of Agricultu

Cattlemen Support Nomination of Gov. Perdue to Lead U.S. Department of Agriculture Source: www.beefusa.org WASHINGTON (Jan. 18, 2017) - Tracy Brunner, president of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, today released the following statement in support of President-elect Trump’s nomination of former Gov. Sonny Perdue to be Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
“Governor Perdue’s an excellent pick to head the Agriculture... read more

Livestock Industry Lays Out Federal Lands Priorities for Trump Administration

Livestock Industry Lays Out Federal Lands Priorities for Trump Administration Source: www.beffusa.org
WASHINGTON (January 4, 2017) – The Public Lands Council and the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association issued federal land management priorities for the new administration to bring responsible management and economic viability back to the Western landscape.
“Ranchers and other multiple-use interests in the West have been subjected to an almost wholesale shift in federal land management policy under the... read more

Cattlemen Hail Introduction of Legislation to Repeal Death Tax

Cattlemen Hail Introduction of Legislation to Repeal Death Tax WASHINGTON (Jan. 25, 2017) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association today applauded the introduction of bipartisan legislation that would permanently kill the onerous death tax.
The Death Tax Repeal Act of 2017 was introduced this week by U.S. Sen. John Thune of South Dakota and by U.S. Reps. Kristi Noem (R-SD) and Sanford Bishop... read more

New rice herbicide, crop outlook featured at grower meetings

New rice herbicide, crop outlook featured at grower meetings
Writer: Bruce Schultz at 337-788-8821 or bschultz@agcenter.lsu.edu
(01/19/17) ALEXANDRIA, La. – A new herbicide for rice, Provisia, has been approved by federal regulators, an LSU AgCenter weed scientist said recently.
Eric Webster made the announcement on Jan. 17 at a rice producers meeting at the LSU AgCenter DeWitt Livestock Facility in Alexandria.... read more

University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research and Extension Presents:

University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research and Extension Presents: Will New Zealand-style forage management work in Arkansas? Winter Forage Conference Thursday, February 23 –9:00 am Woodland Heights Baptist Church Education Building, 4215 Prince St, Conway AR... read more