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Spiritual Corner: Always Be Humble and Kind
Spiritual Corner: Always Be Humble and Kind Last Sunday, our preacher said something that has resonated with me and convicted me. He said, “We must do for others without expecting anything in return”. This means we cannot expect even a small, verbal “thank you” or a hug for being kind to another. I don’t... read more
14 graduate from Louisiana Master Cattleman course
14 graduate from Louisiana Master Cattleman course Writer: Karol Osborne at 318-574-2465 or kosborne@agcenter.lsu.edu (06/03/19) JENA, La. — Fourteen cattle producers and industry professionals graduated from a Louisiana Master Cattleman course conducted by the LSU AgCenter recently. The Louisiana Master Cattleman... read more
Raising cattle among trees
Raising cattle among trees As you drive through the abundant forests of Louisiana, you’ll also see a lot of pastures. The soils of much of the state are well-suited for growing timber and cow-calf operations, and there are mature markets for forest products and cattle. It’s also possible to efficiently use land to integrate timber and cattle production, with several financial and ecological benefits... read more
AgCenter research focuses on pollinator, forage relationships
AgCenter research focuses on pollinator, forage relationships Writer: Karol Osborne at 318-574-2465 or kosborne@agcenter.lsu.edu (06/07/19) WINNSBORO, La. — Pollinator health continues to be the buzzword among researchers working to enhance pollinator populations responsible for sustaining world food production. Farmers and ranchers... read more
LSU AgCenter receives $1.4 million from Patrick F. Taylor Foundation for nutrien
LSU AgCenter receives $1.4 million from Patrick F. Taylor Foundation for nutrient runoff research Writer: Olivia McClure at 225-578-3262 or omcclure@agcenter.lsu.edu (06/13/19) BATON ROUGE, La. — The Patrick F. Taylor Foundation has awarded a $1.4 million grant to the LSU AgCenter to fund a four-year research project on reducing... read more
Smokey Bear Birthday Challenge
Smokey Bear Birthday Challenge
Baton Rouge, La. (June 14, 2019) – Smokey Bear turns 75 August 9, 2019. The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) is taking part in a social media challenge to throw Smokey a pre-birthday bash.
“When you’re everyone’s favorite bear, you deserve to party all year long! Funny thing is, Smokey doesn’t look like he’s aged one bit,” said Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M.
According to the U.S. Forest... read more
How are your squash doing?
How are your squash doing? Editor: Rick Bogren at 225-578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu Heather Kirk-Ballard LSU AgCenter Horticulturist Are your squash, cucumbers or watermelon plants not producing fruit this summer? Extension agents across the state have been getting calls recently from home vegetable gardeners concerned that their plants are not making fruit.... read more
Basic Nutrition of Small Ruminants
Basic Nutrition of Small Ruminants Feed is the single largest cost associated with raising small ruminants, typically accounting for 60% or more of total production costs. It goes without saying that nutrition exerts a very large influence on flock reproduction, milk production, and lamb and kid growth. Late-gestation... read more
Controlling the Breeding and Calving Season
Controlling the Breeding and Calving Season — The first step in reproductive management is controlling the breeding and calving seasons. Whichever calving season (winter, spring, or fall) is chosen, the following reasons illustrate why a controlled, seasonal calving schedule is desirable.
1. The culling of cows and selection of replacements is based on production records; however, accurate comparisons in the production of cows within a herd cannot be made unless a certain degree of uniformity... read more
Farm Bureau Statement on Disaster Relief
Farm Bureau Statement on Disaster Relief Source: www.fb.org The following statement may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall: “The disaster relief measure signed by President Trump today is an important lifeline for farmers and ranchers whose greatest desire is to keep producing... read more
Ratify USMCA, 900+ Farm, Food Groups Tell Congress
Ratify USMCA, 900+ Farm, Food Groups Tell Congress Source: www.fb.org More than 900 food and agriculture companies and associations today asked Senate and House leadership to move quickly to approve the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The American Farm... read more
Biotech Executive Order Vital for U.S. Agriculture
Biotech Executive Order Vital for U.S. Agriculture Source: www.fb.org The following statement regarding the Administration’s efforts to facilitate the innovation of agricultural biotechnology can be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation... read more
House Approps Committee Passes Amendment Allowing Use of H-2A for Year-Round Wo
House Approps Committee Passes Amendment Allowing Use of H-2A for Year-Round Work The House Appropriations Committee on Tuesday approved an amendment to the fiscal year 2020 homeland security spending bill that would allow farmers and ranchers to use the H-2A program for year-round agricultural jobs. Currently, the H-2A program is allowed only for farm jobs that are temporary or seasonal in nature, like the harvesting of certain... read more
Farmers Need New Water Rule, Farm Bureau Tells Senate
Farmers Need New Water Rule, Farm Bureau Tells Senate The EPA’s latest proposal to define which waters can be regulated by the federal government and which by state and local authorities is a vast improvement over previous efforts, Wyoming Farm Bureau President Todd Fornstrom told the Senate Subcommittee on Fisheries, Waters, and Wildlife today. Expensive professional... read more
Getting Prepared for Changes to Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Beef Industry
Getting Prepared for Changes to Antimicrobial Stewardship in the Beef Industry Heidi Ward, PhD, DVM, Assistant Professor and Veterinarian , University of Arkansas Antimicrobial stewardship and food safety go hand in hand. Since the Food and Drug Administration published the final rule for the Veterinary Feed Directive... read more
Precondition Your 2019 Calf Crop for Greater Calf Value at Mark
Precondition Your 2019 Calf Crop for Greater Calf Value at Market Source: Shane Gadberry, Professor - Ruminant Nutrition, University of Arkansas
During fall 2018, value added calves fetched nearly $10/cwt over non-value added calves with a gross added value of $56/calf. What makes these calves different? Health history and weaning management. Here are a few steps to consider if you want to be a value added player.... read more
50th annual Louisiana 4-H, FFA horse show set for July 6-10 in Gonzales
50th annual Louisiana 4-H, FFA horse show set for July 6-10 in Gonzales Writer: Rick Bogren at 225-578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu (06/05/19) GONZALES, La. — 4-H and FFA youth from throughout Louisiana will compete in the 50th annual LSU AgCenter 4-H and FFA State Horse Show on July 6-10 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.... read more
LSU AgCenter rice, soybean tour set for July 9 in St. Joseph
LSU AgCenter rice, soybean tour set for July 9 in St. Joseph Writer: Karol Osborne at 318-574-2465 or kosborne@agcenter.lsu.edu (06/17/19) ST. JOSEPH, La. — A row rice and soybean tour will be held July 9 at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station at 4589 Hwy. 605 in St. Joseph.... read more
Blackberries and Dewberries
Blackberries and Dewberries — Blackberry and dewberry are closely related, but they are very different in growth habits and physical characteristics. Dewberry exhibits a low, vine-like, trailing growth habit that forms mats that are rarely taller than 2 feet above the ground. Blackberry typically has an upright rambling growth habit, which can form impenetrable thickets that are often 4 to 6 feet tall. Stems of dewberry have slender thorns and numerous red hairs, while upright blackberry stems have few to no hairs and numerous... read more
Farm Service Agency County Committee Nominations Open June 14
Farm Service Agency County Committee Nominations Open June 14 #LeadYourFSA and be the Voice of Farmers in Your Community WASHINGTON, June 3, 2019 – USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin accepting nominations for county committee members on Friday, June 14, 2019. Agricultural producers... read more
Just Rambling July 2019:
Just Rambling: I want to start my “Just Rambling” by wishing each of you a happy Independence Day or 4th of July. Do we take this holiday for granted or so many times don’t even think about what it means? I try not to because this holiday commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. We declared our dependence... read more
Forestry 101 for landowners
Forestry 101 for landowners Spiritual Corner: A Piece of Advice “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. Do everything in love”. –1st Corinthians 16:13-14 Calculating the pros and cons of creep feeding — Feed conversions of calves fed creep feeds have been quite variable to say the least. Conversions of 5:1 or 5 pounds of grain consumed to 1 extra pound of calf weight are very rare and the optimum that can be expected when producers are using a "typical" high energy creep feed. Conversions may get as poor as 15:1 (or worse) in some situations. Therefore it is obvious that several factors come in to play to determine the amount of creep feed that is consumed for each additional pound of gain.... read more United State Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service, Louisiana Broiler Hatchery Released May 29, 2019 Chick Placements Up 22 Percent from Last Year Broiler-type chicks placed for meat production in Louisiana were 3.36 million during the week ending May 25, 2019. Placements were up 22 % fro the comparable week in 2018 and up 5% from the previous week.... read more LSU AgCenter graduates first Master Goat Producer Program class Writer: Olivia McClure at 225-578-3262 or omcclure@agcenter.lsu.edu (05/01/19) BATON ROUGE, La. — More than 20 people were named Master Goat Producers on April 27 after completing a new LSU AgCenter training program. Participants in the Master Goat Producer Program attended three daylong classes that featured lessons and demonstrations by fellow goat... read more Volatile Cull Cow Market — After a volatile few months, cull cow values have rebounded from the late March drop back to the annual high and were last quoted at $60.95/cwt (CattleFax U.S. average Utility price). Large supply flooding the market caused the most recent break, while improved demand aided in the recovery as 90 percent lean trim prices broke through strong resistance. From here, cull cow supplies seasonally decline through the summer but will remain well above a year ago, allowing packers to maintain the leverage advantage. The 90s market... read more Let’s be a pollination nation Editor: Rick Bogren at 225-578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu Heather Kirk-Ballard LSU AgCenter Horticulturist Pollinator gardens are all the buzz right now, literally. There’s nothing my family and I love more than sitting out on the back porch or looking out from our kitchen windows over dinner conversation and watching all of the activity... read more Louisiana Program Promotes Sustainable Agriculture for Growers Big and Small Farmers, ranchers, educators and researchers worldwide are implementing a variety of sustainable agriculture practices to maintain resources for the future. These agriculture professionals are making a profit, protecting the land, water and air, while also caring for farmers, ranchers, their communities and their quality of life.... read more What are some common conditions and terms related to beef diseases? Anaplasmosis: An often fatal infectious disease of cattle caused by a microscopic parasite of red blood cells, spread by horsefly bites or by reusing needles or instruments between animals. The risk of the disease is low in most areas but may be higher near river systems. Vaccines are available, but unless the risk is high, a routine vaccination... read more Gov. Edwards, LaSalle Lumber Dedicate $115 Million Sawmill Facility Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards and leaders from Ruston-based Hunt Forest Products LLC and Tolko Industries Ltd. of Canada dedicated the new $115 million LaSalle Lumber Company LLC sawmill in the Central Louisiana community of Urania. The sawmill project is a joint venture of Hunt Forest Products and British Columbia-based Tolko Industries. LaSalle Parish played a significant historical role in establishing... read more LSU AgCenter schedules field day expo for June 27 in Alexandria Writer: Karol Osborne at 318-574-2465 or kosborne@agcenter.lsu.edu (05/09/19) ALEXANDRIA, La. — The LSU AgCenter will host the second annual agricultural field day expo June 27 at the Dean Lee Research and Extension Center in Alexandria. “This field day event is a great opportunity to combine our traditional crop and pest management programs and... read more Farm Bureau Statement on Trump Immigration Reform Proposal The following may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “Farm Bureau welcomes President Trump’s focus on fixing our nation’s broken immigration system. However, nowhere is reform more critical than in the agricultural sector. Labor shortages now are being felt by farmers and ranchers... read more New Bill Would Improve Broadband Maps Source: www.fb.org A recently introduced bill would enhance the accuracy of broadband coverage maps, a key step toward boosting high-speed internet access in rural areas. The bipartisan Broadband Data Improvement Act of 2019, backed by the American Farm Bureau Federation, would also better direct federal funds for broadband buildout.... read more Farm Bureau Statement on Agricultural Relief The following may be attributed to American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall. “The Trump Administration’s agricultural assistance package is welcome relief to an economic sector that has been battered by foreign competitors and retaliatory tariffs. We thank the President for living up to his commitment to stand by our farmers and ranchers. While farmers and ranchers... read more Court Strikes 2015 Water Rule Source: www.fb.org A federal court on Tuesday invalidated the Environmental Protection Agency and Army Corps of Engineers’ 2015 expansion of federal jurisdiction over small and isolated waters. After years of litigation in suits filed by dozens of state governments and trade groups, this is the first court to reach a final decision on the lawfulness of the 2015Waters... read more Senate Passes Farm Bureau-Backed Disaster Bill, House Approval Expected Soon Source: www.fb.org State Launches Pet Preparedness Campaign June is pet preparedness month Baton Rouge, La. (May 31, 2019) –Today, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) launched a music video called “Take Your Pets with You” in conjunction with Pet Preparedness Month and the start of hurricane season in June. Stuffed Bell Peppers 4 bell peppers 1 lb hamburger meat 1/2 C chopped onion 1 1 cream of mushroom soup 3 C cooked rice 1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes, drained Salt & Pepper 6 oz Velveeta cheese grated cheddar cheese USDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Producers’ Costs for Organic Certification USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) announced that organic producers and handlers can apply for federal funds to assist with the cost of receiving and maintaining organic certification through the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (OCCSP). Applications for fiscal 2019 funding are due Oct. 31,2019. “Producers can visit their local FSA county offices to apply for up to 75 percent of the cost of organic certification,” said FSA... read more USDA Offers Low-Interest Loans for Agricultural Producers in Mississippi Impacted by Natural Disasters Secrets to Increasing Profit with DAVE PRATT Stockmanship Stewardship October 4-5, West Monroe, La Join us at this regional event at the Ike Hamilton Expo facilities in West Monroe, LA., to hear from some of the beef industry’s top-most experts from around the country on how implementing sound Stockmanship and Stewardship practices on your operation will add value to your bottom line. With live cattle handling demonstrations, hands-on training, and exposure to the industry’s newest information, you are sure to find value by attending this Stockmanship and Stewardship event. For registration information and... read more Just Rambling When I was growing up, I thought that Christmas would never come — it seemed such a long time from one Christmas to the next one. I was told by my parents and other older adults — you just wait, when you get older, time will just fly by. Folks, I am there. It seems like yesterday was New Year’s Day and as I write this, it is June 1st and soon to be in the second half of 2019. When I think about how fast time passes, I think of the scripture — James 4:13-17 — “Come now, you who say, today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and... read more
Free workshop July 19, 2019 Lincoln Parish Public Safety Complex 161 Road Camp Road, Ruston, La 9 am to 2 pm Lunch served PLEASE PRE-REGISTER! To Register: Call 318-255-3554 and leave your name and contact info plus the name of the workshop or event you plan to attend on the machine—or email ceo@trailblazer.org Spiritual Corner: A Piece of Advice
I shared the above scripture at my school’s Senior Chapel a few weeks... read moreCalculating the pros and cons of creep feeding
United State Department of Agriculture National Agricultural Statistics Service,
LSU AgCenter graduates first Master Goat Producer Program class
Volatile Cull Cow Market
Let’s be a pollination nation
Louisiana Program Promotes Sustainable Agriculture for Gr
What are some common conditions and terms related to beef
Gov. Edwards, LaSalle Lumber Dedicate $115 Million Sawmill Facility
LSU AgCenter schedules field day expo for June 27 in Alexandria
Farm Bureau Statement on Trump Immigration Reform Proposal
New Bill Would Improve Broadband Maps
Farm Bureau Statement on Agricultural Relief
Court Strikes 2015 Water Rule
Senate Passes Farm Bureau-Backed Disaster Bill, House Approval Expected Soon
Farmers and ranchers nationwide are calling on the House to follow the Senate’s lead in passing a disaster assistance bill that will help them and their rural communities recover from devastating weather events in recent years. "Farms across the country endured an incredibly difficult year in 2018 and the trend continues in 2019 with challenging... read moreState Launches Pet Preparedness Campaign June is pet preparedness month
Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., is also urging everyone to Get a Game Plan for their family pet during emergencies. “History has proven time... read more Stuffed Bell Peppers
I cut my peppers in slices, microwave until soft. Brown hamburger, drain; add onion. Then add soup, corn, rice, tomatoes, salt, pepper and... read moreUSDA Accepting Applications to Help Cover Producers’ Costs for Organic Certifi
USDA Offers Low-Interest Loans for Agricultural Producers in Mississippi Impacte
Emergency Support to Producers in Surrounding Counties/Border State Also Available
ALEXANDRIA, La, May 9, 2019 — Mississippi agricultural producers who lost property due to recent natural disasters may be eligible for U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) physical loss loans. The Farm Service Agency (FSA) offers these low-interest loans to agricultural producers in Wilkinson County, the primary damaged area, who incurred losses caused by a tornado that occurred on April... read moreSecrets to Increasing Profit with DAVE PRATT
July 12th - 157 Cherokee Drive, Suite C, Crowley, LA 70526 July 13th - 3727 Government Street, Alexandria, LA 71302 DAVE PRATT is one of the most SOUGHT-AFTER SPEAKERS and RESPECTED AUTHORITIES on sustainable ranching in North America Ranchers will learn how to transform their ranches into businesses and to successfully transition their operations from one generation to the next at the Three Secrets to Increasing Profit with Dave Pratt workshop... read moreStockmanship Stewardship October 4-5, West Monroe, La
Just Rambling June 2019
