March 2020 Articles

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Just Rambling March 2020:

Just Rambling: I am writing this “Just Rambling” from my hospital bed on Saturday at Reeves Memorial Hospital located in Bernice, La. My sickness all goes back to the operation I had in September of 2013 when Dr. Nanda had to remove a walnut size tumor from my pituitary gland located at the base of my brain. He went up my right nostril to remove the tumor then had to rebuild my sinus cavity after the operation. Doing this rebuilding has lowered my immune system... read more

Spiritual Corner: The Faithfulness of a Friend

Spiritual Corner: The Faithfulness of a Friend As most of you probably know, Randy and I welcomed our son, Hayden “Rebel” Alexander, into the world on Wednesday, January 29, 2020. It was a very difficult birth, for myself and Rebel, and the day after Rebel was born, we discovered that he was having some problems. He had a few seizures in the hospital and therefore, was sent to the NICU at St. Francis... read more

LSU AgCenter leadership program graduates 16th class

LSU AgCenter leadership program graduates 16th class Editor: Tobie Blanchard at 225-578-5649 or tblanchard@agcenter.lsu.edu
(03/03/20) BATON ROUGE, La. — The LSU AgCenter’s Agricultural Leadership Development Program held its graduation for Class 16 recently. Twenty-five leaders in agriculture production and ag-related industries... read more

Trailblazer Tackles Feral Hog Control

Trailblazer Tackles Feral Hog Control Fifty-one people came together in Marion on February 18 to express their concerns about the exploding population of wild hogs and learn effective control techniques. Feral hog trapping was discussed by Kory Gilbert of Hogg Boss Traps of Bastrop. John Hanks of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife... read more

Louisiana Land Market Report Pastureland in Louisiana

Louisiana Land Market Report Pastureland in Louisiana Source: Lawson Connor & Cameron Roig, LSU Summary This publication reports on the first Louisiana Ag Lenders and Land Appraiser’s survey. The survey is designed to give an update on land values and cash rents for three agricultural land uses, cropland, pasture and forestry, across the state of Louisiana. The survey was also designed to provide a general outlook on expectations of farmland... read more

What’s that hanging in my tree?

What’s that hanging in my tree? Editor: Rick Bogren at 225-578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu By Heather Kirk-Ballard LSU AgCenter Horticulturist Some 20-plus years ago when I was an undergraduate at LSU studying horticulture, I first began to... read more

Quote

Quote—”Agriculture is the most healthful, most useful, and most noble employment of man.” George Washington

Louisiana Land Market Report

Louisiana Land Market Report Mature Pine & Mature Hardwood Timberland in Louisiana Source: Lawson Connor & Cameron Roig, LSU Summary This publication reports on the first Louisiana Ag Lenders and Land Appraiser’s survey. The survey is designed to give an update on land values and cash rents for three agricultural land uses, cropland, pasture... read more

Coronavirus:

Coronavirus: Human strain causes fear, but domestic livestock strains are routine Source: K. Ledbetter, AgriLife Today, Many people are hearing about coronavirus for the first time as the China strain, COVID-19, affecting humans causes concern all across the world. But coronaviruses are not new to livestock and poultry producers, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife veterinary epidemiologist.... read more

Decision-making in turbulent markets

Decision-making in turbulent markets D.S. Peel, Cow/Calf Corner, March 2, 2020
Global markets are being roiled by coronavirus (known as COVID-19) and cattle markets are no exception. The combination of broad-based market fears and current market impacts have taken a big toll. One of the functions of futures markets is to anticipate the worst and, not surprisingly, futures markets have... read more

Live oaks have long lives

Live oaks have long lives Editor: Rick Bogren at 225-578-5839 or rbogren@agcenter.lsu.edu By Heather Kirk-Ballard, LSU AgCenter Horticulturist
Live oaks have a strong history in the Gulf South. Before steel, bronze and aluminum alloys were used, U.S. naval ships were built from the strong wood of live oaks. They produce wood that is close-grained, hard and durable and is one of the heaviest woods that grows natively in America.... read more

New legislation aims to help protect U.S. from African swine fever

New legislation aims to help protect U.S. from African swine fever By Ag Daily According to the World Health Organization, more than 40 countries have reported the deadly virus either in wild or domestic pigs during the past five years. President Donald Trump signed legislation this week that will increase protection of the U.S. pork industry from the threat of African swine fever.... read more

Louisiana Congressman Ralph Abraham has been best friend of agriculture

Louisiana Congressman Ralph Abraham has been best friend of agriculture Source: news@lfbf.org By Bobby Skeen, Louisiana Cotton & Grain Association The recent announcement of Congressman Ralph Abraham’s retirement has come as a bittersweet moment for... read more

State Leaders Promote Agritourism

State Leaders Promote Agritourism Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain, D.V.M. and Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser have teamed up to promote state agritourism. “There is so much to learn about the agricultural and forestry industries. From the educational aspect of where your food comes from to outdoor activities that promote family fun, this is a wonderful collaborative effort with the state’s top tourism promoter Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser,” said Strain. “Take... read more

Longest Serving Louisiana Farm Bureau President Announces Retirement

Longest Serving Louisiana Farm Bureau President Announces Retirement By: Avery Davidson, Neil Melançon & Ashley Stephens RONALD R. ANDERSON AT HIS FARM IN ETHEL, LA. Ronald R. “Ronnie” Anderson, president... read more

Fake Meat Claims

Fake Meat Claims by Colin Woodall, NCBA CEO, Source: https://www.ncba.org/ There are countless articles about the fake meat business lately and most of them are little more than promotional pieces for the companies producing plant-based alternatives to meat. A recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article titled “This Anti-CEO’s Mission Impossible: Use Capitalism to Kill Meat,” took a slightly different... read more

NCBA, Agriculture Groups Launch Farmers for a Sustainable Future to Highlight En

NCBA, Agriculture Groups Launch Farmers for a Sustainable Future to Highlight Environmental Stewardship
WASHINGTON (Feb. 19, 2020) — The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) today joined 20 other national agricultural groups in kicking off Farmers for a Sustainable Future, a coalition of ag organizations committed to environmental and economic sustainability. The coalition was introduced at a news conference on Capitol Hill today.read more