June 2018 Articles

Archives by Months

Just Rambling June 2018

Just Rambling:
We at Ag Trader USA are now in our 12th year of publication. How time has flown by but that is the way life is especially as one grows older. Over the years we have received so many nice notes from our subscribers and I don’t know if I have ever said “Thank You “ for these compliments. We appreciate all of these kind words very much. We started Ag Trader USA to help disseminate agriculture information and news along with giving... read more

Spiritual Corner: Blooming Faith

Spiritual Corner: Blooming Faith

I received a rose bush this year and was very excited to plant it and have beautiful roses. However, I got caught up in the business of life and my rose bush sat beside my porch, in the plastic pot it was purchased in, for at least a week. One day, I eventually got around to planting it in the ground. I began watering it daily like I was supposed to, but unfortunately, its little roses started dying off day by day. The whole plant itself... read more

Insect-borne diseases rising

Insect-borne diseases rising Writer: Craig Gautreaux at 225-578-5673 or cgautreaux@agcenter.lsu.edu
(05/18/18) BATON ROUGE, La. — Louisiana is known for its picturesque swamps and marshes, but these places are also home to the state’s “unofficial” state bird — the mosquito. They are just one pest prevalent in Louisiana and are vectors of numerous diseases harmful to humans.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,... read more

4-H Day at the Capitol

4-H Day at the Capitol provides an opportunity for youth to learn about governmental procedures and emphasizes the importance of citizen involvement in the governmental process. Participants visit with legislators sharing their 4-H experiences and learning about the role of legislators in government. They observe the legislative process in action, have opportunities to learn about the Congressional Aides and Pages Programs, and have an opportunity to tour the Capitol, museums, or other... read more

New plantings, containers need careful watering

New plantings, containers need careful watering By Dan Gill, LSU AgCenter Horticulturist (05/18/18) Lots of new planting gets done every spring. Proper watering can make the difference between life and death to newly planted lawns, trees, shrubs, ground covers, and bedding and vegetable transplants during summer. Because their roots have not had... read more

Fertilization of Pasture and Hay Fields

Fertilization of Pasture and Hay Fields The soils in the southeast US are highly weathered and typically require addition of nutrients to support optimum plant growth. Soil testing should be the initial step in developing a fertilization program. Soil pH has a direct effect on availability of several nutrients so correcting any pH problems should be a priority in a fertilization program. Phosphorous reacts with... read more

Potassium Important for Bermudagrass Stand Persistence

Potassium Important for Bermudagrass Stand Persistence — Bermudagrass is an important summer perennial for both grazing and hay production, and has been a part of southern agriculture for at least the last century. Its characteristics include high yielding potential, drought resistance, and a degree of soil acidity tolerance. We rely heavily on our bermudagrass pastures and hay meadows... read more

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as the State Director of USDA Rural Deve

It is an honor and a privilege to serve as the State Director of USDA Rural Development. One of the great things about my job is that I get to be part of the tremendous difference USDA makes in rural Louisiana. As our infrastructure ages, modern infrastructure is essential to economic growth and connectivity. RD programs can help connect a business to its customer, connect a farmer to his market, connect rural homes to clean water, connect students to a world of knowledge via high-speed internet,... read more

FROM the Commissioner

FROM the Commissioner
For Louisiana to maintain a leading position, we must surpass existing standards of agricultural and forestry achievement and seek additional opportunities for growth and prosperity. Louisiana's agricultural industries and its forestry, soil and water resources are critical to the advancement of our state and play a central role in our diverse cultural heritage.... read more

Louisiana 2017 Highlights Louisiana’s Top 10 Commodities

Louisiana 2017 Highlights Louisiana’s Top 10 Commodities
Commodity Total Value
Forestry $3.8 billion
Poultry $1.8 billion
Sugarcane $998.3 million
Soybeans $798.2 million
Marine fisheries $664.4 million
Aquaculture $552.9 million
Cattle and calves $463.8 million
Horses $414.4 million
Rice $372.7 million
Feed grain crops $372.1 million

Summer Hauling

Summer Hauling Source: www.lsuagcenter Opportunities for “horsing around” are endless in the summer. Horse shows, competitions, sales and trail rides are just a haul away. But hauling your horse during the hot and humid Louisiana summer can pose serious health risks, including dehydration, heatstroke and exhaustion. Follow these hot-weather hauling safety tips to prevent detours from summer fun:... read more

STUMPAGE SPEAK

STUMPAGE SPEAK http://www.lsuagcenter.com/topics/environment/forestry http://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/blogs/stumpagespeak Louisiana Timber Market Report1 First Quarter (Jan.-Mar.) 2018 LSU AgCenter Dr. Shaun M. Tanger Forest Economist E-mail: stanger@agcenter.lsu.edu Louisiana Stumpage 1st Quarter 2018 Change... read more

National FFA Awards Scholarships to 8 Louisiana Students

National FFA Awards Scholarships to 8 Louisiana Students Source: https://voiceoflouisianaagriculture.org The National FFA Organization and National FFA Foundation have awarded more than $2.5 million in scholarships to 1,842 recipients, thanks to the generosity of 114 sponsors.... read more

Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation 96th Annual Meeting Set for June 21 - 24

Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation 96th Annual Meeting Set for June 21 - 24 BATON ROUGE—Incomes, immigration and advocacy will dominate the discussion when Louisiana farmers, ranchers and landowners gather in New Orleans for the 96th Annual Meeting of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports net... read more

Don’t Use the Farm Bill as a Bargaining Chip

Don’t Use the Farm Bill as a Bargaining Chip Source: www.fb.org American political history is filled with examples of politicians who seemed to forget who put them in office, turned their backs on agriculture and rural America, and paid the price at the ballot box. In the 2016 elections, an incumbent member of Congress from Kansas lost his primary race... read more

House Lawmakers Eye Late June for Second Attempt at Farm Bill

House Lawmakers Eye Late June for Second Attempt at Farm Bill Source: www.fb.org With the House’s failure to pass the farm bill last week, a second vote on the legislation will likely be pushed to late June. Meanwhile, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) is said to be... read more

Louisiana Beef Facts for 2017:

Louisiana Beef Facts for 2017:
* 559,000 cattle and calves * 11,500 farms and ranches Total Value Louisiana Beef Production in 2017: $463.8 million

NCBA Applauds Introduction of Legislation Addressing Hours of Service Changes fo

NCBA Applauds Introduction of Legislation Addressing Hours of Service Changes for Livestock Haulers WASHINGTON (May 23, 2018) – The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association today applauded the introduction of the Transporting Livestock Across America Safely (TLAAS) Act, saying it would reform federal Hours of Service (HOS) rules in a way that ensures animal welfare, highway safety, and the well-being of livestock... read more

USDA Resumes Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment

USDA Resumes Continuous Conservation Reserve Program Enrollment One-Year Extension Available to Holders of Many Expiring Contracts through Continuous Signup WASHINGTON, June 1, 2018 – As part of a 33-year effort to protect sensitive lands and improve water quality and wildlife habitat on private lands, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will resume... read more

Louisiana Forestry Facts 2017:

Louisiana Forestry Facts 2017:
* 14.9 million acres of forests in Louisiana * 150,000 forest landowners
Total value of Louisiana forestry production in 2017: $3.8 billion

Secretary Perdue Names FSA Administrator

Secretary Perdue Names FSA Administrator (Washington, D.C., May 11, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced the appointment of Richard Fordyce to serve as Administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA). In his role, Fordyce will provide leadership for FSA and its mission to support agricultural production across America through a network of over 2,100 county and 50 state offices.... read more

USDA Partners with Texas A&M to Help Veterans Seeking Agriculture Loans and Car

USDA Partners with Texas A&M to Help Veterans Seeking Agriculture Loans and Career (Dallas, TX, May 31, 2018) – U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue today announced a partnership between the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Texas A&M’s AgriLife Extension Service to help military veterans obtain loans and pursue careers as farmers and ranchers. Secretary Perdue joined local dignitaries, members of the... read more

LSU AgCenter field day expo set for June 19 in Winnsboro

LSU AgCenter field day expo set for June 19 in Winnsboro Writer: Karol Osborne @318-574-2465/ kosborne@agcenter.lsu.edu
(04/27/2018) WINNSBORO, La. — The LSU AgCenter will hold a crop production and pest management field day expo June 19 at the Tom H. Scott Research, Extension and Education Center in Winnsboro.... read more

LSU AgCenter field day expo set for June 19 in Winnsboro

LSU AgCenter field day expo set for June 19 in Winnsboro Writer: Karol Osborne @318-574-2465/ kosborne@agcenter.lsu.edu
(04/27/2018) WINNSBORO, La. — The LSU AgCenter will hold a crop production and pest management field day expo June 19 at the Tom H. Scott Research, Extension and Education Center in Winnsboro.... read more

FSA County Committee Nominations Launch June 15 Giving Farmers a Voice in their

FSA County Committee Nominations Launch June 15 Giving Farmers a Voice in their Community
WASHINGTON, May 22, 2018 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages America’s farmers and ranchers to nominate candidates to lead, serve and represent their community on their local county committee. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will accept nominations for county committee members beginning Friday, June 15, 2018. Producers... read more