(Distributed 07/03/08) Rice farmers and industry representatives gathered Wednesday (July 2) at the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station Field Day to learn about the ongoing research conducted by scientists to improve a vital part of South Louisiana agriculture. The event was the first LSU AgCenter field day that could be watched live on the Internet.

(Distributed 7/3/08) A new sugarcane variety released earlier this year will be featured at the annual sugarcane field day July 16 at the LSU AgCenter’s Sugar Research Station in St. Gabriel.

(Distributed 07/03/08) This year the red in your red, white and blue Fourth of July celebration could be a sweet Louisiana watermelon.

(Distributed 07/03/08) With the average credit card holder owing $9,000 and paying $1,200 a year in interest, consumers can benefit by learning tips on managing money provided in an LSU AgCenter financial program.

(Distributed 07/02/08) A “gorilla” of a barnyardgrass and a “tough critter” nematode are two of the problems being tackled by LSU AgCenter researchers as reported at a recent field day at the Northeast Research Station in St. Joseph. Dr. Daniel Stephenson, LSU AgCenter weed scientist, told farmers at the June 24 event that barnyardgrass “is setting up shop” in the neighboring area of the station.

(Distributed 07/02/08) Two campuses of the LSU System recently combined their international programs offices to better serve the needs of faculty, students and citizens in an increasingly global society. The LSU AgCenter and the LSU A&M campus in Baton Rouge announced the merger this summer.

(Distributed 07/02/08) The LSU AgCenter’s annual Northeast Louisiana rice field day will be held July 21 at the Elliot Colvin farm and the Rayville Civic Center.

(Distributed 07/02/08) The No. 1 yard tree problem in Shreveport-Bossier is construction damage, according to Ricky Kilpatrick, LSU AgCenter area forestry agent.

(Distributed 07/01/08) Back by popular demand, the LSU AgCenter will host another set of one-day workshops on how to make your own biodiesel. The choices are July 29, 30 or 31 at the W.A. Callegari Environmental Center in Baton Rouge.

(Distributed 07/01/08) The LSU AgCenter has joined forces with Orleans Catholic Charities’ Operation Helping Hand and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building America program to construct an affordable home uniquely tailored to local needs and risks. The house, dubbed the “Green Dream Home,” is in mid-construction and, until its completion, serves as a teaching tool about best building practices for the New Orleans area.

(Distributed 07/01/08) Greenhouse tomatoes and a constructed wetland were two of the topics covered at a recent field day and open house at the LSU AgCenter’s Red River Research Station in Bossier City. The June 18 event also highlighted research projects at the station on agronomic crops including corn, cotton, wheat, sorghum and soybeans.

(Distributed 06/30/08) The LSU AgCenter was one of 25 universities selected to participate in the Biomass and Energy Awareness Days (BEAD II) EXPO in Washington, D.C., June 22. The AgCenter’s exhibit featured the research being conducted at the Audubon Sugar Institute to produce bioethanol and biodiesel from sugarcane and algae.

(Distributed 06/30/08) Participants in the LSU AgCenter’s Agricultural Leadership Development Program visited Washington, D.C., in mid-June as part of the two-year study program. Briefings on agricultural issues and visits with Louisiana’s legislative delegation were some of the highlights of the June 10-14 study tour to Washington, D.C., for this 11th class to participate in the program coordinated by the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 06/27/08) A home is the largest and most important purchase most people make. To help homeowners make the most of that investment while also doing their part for the environment and future generations, the LSU AgCenter and its partners have developed the Louisiana House Home and Landscape Resource Center. Known as LaHouse, for short, the completed center will open for a Preview Open House throughout the day July 15.

(Distributed 06/26/08) A study on the heating of tomato plants grown in greenhouses by an LSU AgCenter scientist is the cover story of the April-June 2008 issue of HortTechnology, a research publication of the American Society for Horticultural Science that has subscribers in 50 countries. Dr. H.Y. Hanna, a professor at the Red River Research Station in Bossier City, conducts research on growing greenhouse tomatoes as productively and efficiently as possible.

(Distributed 06/20/08) CROWLEY – Rice researchers will share details of their ongoing work during the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station Field Day on July 2. "This is an excellent chance for farmers to talk with scientists about research and to find out about potential varieties and potential new production practices that are being studied," said Dr. Steve Linscombe, station director.

(Distributed 06/19/08) Louisiana youth took home honors as state contest winners and alternates as the LSU AgCenter’s 4-H U concluded Thursday night (June 19) on the LSU campus.

(Distributed 06/19/08) Winners of 4-H scholarships were among those honored during ceremonies at the LSU AgCenter’s 4-H University July 17-20. The young adults from across Louisiana were credited with excelling in project work and recordkeeping, serving as club officers or otherwise distinguishing themselves during their years in 4-H.

(Distributed 06/19/08) Ten adults were recognized for their contributions to the Louisiana 4-H program during an awards banquet and other ceremonies this week as part of the LSU AgCenter’s 4-H University program on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge. The honorees included four 4-H alumni who continue to show active support of the youth development program, two school superintendents, two professors on the LSU AgCenter faculty and two secretaries from LSU AgCenter offices.

(Distributed 06/19/08) The Louisiana 4-H Museum is seeking items for its collection to show the history of 4-H – the state’s largest and long-running youth development program. The museum is calling for photos, ribbons, certificates, trophies, documents, handcrafted projects, demonstration materials, record books and more to be used in exhibits, traveling displays, presentations and archives.

(Distributed 06/19/08) LSU AgCenter faculty members and administrators were among those honored by an international communicators group last week during its annual meeting in Traverse City, Mich.

(Distributed 6/19/08) Without insurance, there will be no recovery, insurance industry experts and members of the Louisiana congressional delegation said Monday (June 16).

(Distributed 06/19/08) A new bug has joined the population of pests in Louisiana that can potentially destroy an agricultural crop. It’s the Asian citrus psyllid and its target is any kind of citrus tree. Smaller than the capital A on this page and mottled brown in color, the psyllid sucks the sap out of the leaves, resulting in curling. Sooty mold will develop on the leaves from the honeydew produced by the psyllid.

(Distributed 06/18/08) Pecan growers from as far as Georgia gathered at the LSU AgCenter’s Pecan Research Station here June 13 to hear the latest information on insects and diseases.

(Distributed 06/18/08) Landscape professionals and consumers alike received valuable information at the LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station’s second annual landscape horticulture field day on June 11.

(Distributed 06/18/08) The Durand rice and crawfish farm in St. Martin Parish has realized considerable savings by converting diesel pumps to electric units.

(Distributed 06/17/08) An innovative LSU AgCenter program is helping people in several Shreveport neighborhoods grow their own vegetables.

(Distributed 06/13/08) Milk prices have moderated from unprecedented highs of 2007, an LSU AgCenter dairy specialist told farmers at a dairy field day June 12.

(Distributed 06/11/08) The recent salmonellosis food-borne illness outbreak associated with certain types of raw red tomatoes puts the spotlight on the importance of food safety, according to Dr. Beth Reames, LSU AgCenter nutritionist. Louisiana-grown tomatoes are on the approved safe to buy and eat list.

(Distributed 06/11/08) The LSU AgCenter’s Northeast Research Station annual field day will be June 24 at the station in St. Joseph. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m., with the program starting at 8 a.m. The event will highlight agronomic and pest management research with cotton, soybean, corn and rice on Sharkey clay and silt loam soils.

(Distributed 06/11/08) The Louisiana County Agricultural Agents Association honored several LSU AgCenter agents and specialists during its annual conference June 1-4 in Baton Rouge. Top honors presented included distinguished service awards to Boyd Padgett, plant pathologist at the Macon Ridge Research Station in Winnsboro; Richard Letlow, extension agent in Morehouse Parish; and Shaney Hill, extension agent in Terrebonne Parish.

(Distributed 06/10/08) Young people from across Louisiana will compete in the 39th annual Louisiana 4-H and FFA State Horse Show July 8-12 in West Monroe.

(Distributed 06/09/08) The Louisiana Forest Products Development Center, a unit of the LSU AgCenter, will conduct a comprehensive three-day lumber drying workshop on July 23-25 on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge.

(Distributed 06/09/08) As more than 3 billion quart-size, high-density polyethylene motor-oil containers head for U.S. landfills each year, LSU AgCenter researchers are looking for ways to keep them out.

(Distributed 06/05/08) More than 200 people who wanted to learn how to make biodiesel in small batches packed the meeting room at the LSU AgCenter’s W.A. Callegari Environmental Center in Baton Rouge on June 3-5.

(Distributed 06/05/08) Louisiana high school teachers who want to learn how to teach their students about money management will have opportunities from the LSU AgCenter. The free workshops are open to the public as well.

(Distributed 06/04/08) The LSU AgCenter’s annual field day and open house at its Red River Research Station will be held June 18 at the station in Bossier City.

(Distributed 06/04/08) The Louisiana Forest Products Development Center, a unit of the LSU AgCenter, will present a workshop on practical wood identification on July 9 on the campus of Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La.

(Distributed 06/02/08) Faculty and students from two LSU System campuses combined their talents and expertise to produce a state-of-the-art weather station that could be rolled into the path of a hurricane if one comes our way. A cooperative venture of faculty in the LSU Hurricane Center and the LSU AgCenter, along with LSU mechanical engineering students, the station is designed to help monitor the intensity of storms as they approach the Louisiana coast.

(Distributed 06/02/08) Using sweet sorghum and sugarcane as biofuels has generated significant interest among members of the Louisiana sugarcane industry.

(Distributed 05/28/08) You can find interesting stories almost anywhere you look, but Louisiana 4-H has produced some gems since its inception in 1908.

(Distributed 05/26/08) BIENVILLE – Tevin Champion, a sophomore at Bienville High School, is the winner in the ninth through 12th grades division of a statewide poster contest on financial responsibility.

(Distributed 05/23/08) More than 1,500 young people from across the state will gather on the LSU campus June 17-20 for the 94th annual 4-H University. There will be an array of educational activities including competition for scholarships, educational trips, saving bonds and other prizes.

(Distributed 05/23/08) The LSU AgCenter’s annual field day and open house at the Pecan Research-Extension Station will be Friday, June 13.

(Distributed 05/23/08) MAMOU – A recent decline in rice prices probably will not continue, and the market is likely to resume its upward trend, an LSU AgCenter AgCenter economist said at the Evangeline Parish Rice Field Tour held Tuesday (May 20).

(Distributed 05/21/08) Heavy rains recently triggered the swarming season for Formosan subterranean termites in Louisiana.

(Distributed 05/21/08) As prices for gasoline and diesel fuel have climbed to record levels, Louisiana farmers have had to face the increased cost of irrigating their crops.

(Distributed 05/20/08) People who want to learn to make their own biodiesel are invited to a workshop on June 3, 4 or 5 hosted by the LSU AgCenter at the W.A. Callegari Environmental Center in Baton Rouge. The workshop starts at 9:30 a.m. each day and will be followed at 11 a.m. by a 60-minute demonstration on how to make biodiesel from used vegetable oil.

(Distributed 05/20/08) The LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station will hold its second annual landscape horticulture field day for green industry professionals on June 11. The event was rained out earlier in May.

(Distributed 05/19/08) A Louisiana native and former 4-H member, Kent Desormeaux and his horse Big Brown scored impressive victories at the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes.

(Distributed 05/19/08) More than 350 Louisiana 4-H regional shooting sports winners participated in the state competition held May 2-3 in Southeast Louisiana.

(Distributed 05/19/08) “Who likes squash?” asked Emily Neustrom, a project coordinator with the LSU AgCenter. She was holding up a packet of seeds and speaking to students at Baton Rouge’s McKinley High School. Only one youngster raised his hand.

(Distributed 05/16/08) Louisiana sugarcane farmers will have a new sugarcane variety this fall with the release of L 01-283 from the LSU AgCenter and others.

(Distributed 05/16/08) Louisiana landowners are showing interest in carbon trading – an emerging market that pays landowners for removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

(Distributed 05/16/08) Since classes began in 1998, 343 northwestern Louisiana gardening enthusiasts have been certified as Louisiana Master Gardeners and have gone on to educate and beautify their communities.

(Distributed 05/16/08) North Louisiana consumers can learn how to avoid scams, fraud and identity theft at a program on May 29 at the Lincoln Parish Library, 910 Trenton Street in Ruston.

(Distributed 05/16/08) As part of the year-long celebration of 100 years of 4-H in Louisiana in 2008, more than 1,500 4-H’ers are registered for “4-H Day at the Capitol” on June 5. They will meet with their legislative representatives, go on tours of the Capitol, attend committee meetings and be recognized for the outstanding contributions 4-H has made to the state during its 100 years, according to Terril Faul, a 4-H coordinator with the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 05/15/08) An LSU AgCenter tomato field day will be held at 5 p.m. June 11 at the Waterproof Ridge Farm at 3719 Bayou Black Drive in Houma.

(Distributed 05/15/08) Improving the white-tailed deer population in Louisiana was the focus of a field day recently at the LSU AgCenter’s Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station near Clinton.

(Distributed 05/13/08) High school students attending an educational program recently learned the importance of the forestry industry as well as career possibilities and safety issues.

(Distributed 05/13/08) Don’t expect immediate nitrogen benefits from planting clover, LSU AgCenter experts told livestock producers at the Southeast Research Station’s forage field day held Thursday (May 8).

(Distributed 05/09/08) When asked “How does your garden grow?” students at a Baton Rouge elementary school have a plethora of plants to list. LSU AgCenter Master Gardeners and Kids Hope volunteers have helped transform a once dull courtyard at University Terrace Elementary school into a flowering oasis.

(Distributed 05/08/08) The discovery of malignant catarrhal fever in cattle shouldn’t be a reason for panic but is a “wakeup call” for better animal identification, according to LSU AgCenter veterinarian Dr. Christine Navarre.

(Distributed 05/08/08) Wheat experts from the LSU AgCenter say growing conditions are good and diseases are minimal for the 2008 crop.

(Distributed 05/08/08) Childhood brain development, protecting memory, eating healthy, financial management and leadership were the hot topics at the spring professional development conference for LSU AgCenter Extension Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Programs.

(Distributed 05/06/08) This year’s AgMagic had a record number of visitors – 13,840 – and LSU AgCenter officials are already starting to plan next year’s event. “It was a huge success. We had a lot more and a lot nicer exhibits this year,” said Dr. Terry Dumas, LSU AgCenter animal sciences professor, who co-chairs the project.

(Distributed 05/05/08) The LSU AgCenter is looking for news articles tracing the 100-year history of Louisiana 4-H. Officials say copies of 4-H news articles from 1908 through 2008 are needed from past and present 4-H’ers. The articles, in turn, will help LSU AgCenter faculty members and others in compiling an accurate history of the state’s youth development program for the new Louisiana 4-H Museum.

(Distributed 05/02/08) Local and state officials celebrated the grand opening Wednesday (April 30) of a new facility to house the Avoyelles Parish office of the LSU AgCenter and the Southern University Ag Center and the LSU AgCenter 4-H Museum.

(Distributed 05/02/08) Decreasing costs by increasing efficiency on cattle operations was the focus of the field day May 1 at the LSU AgCenter’s Rosepine Research Station. “It’s a scary time for a lot of beef producers,” said Paul Coreil, LSU AgCenter vice chancellor for extension.

(Distributed 05/02/08) Louisiana Master Gardeners from 33 parishes attended their annual state conference in Covington April 28-30.

(Distributed 05/01/08) Processing nonfood crops to produce biofuels and value-added chemicals can provide Louisiana with another vehicle for economic growth, according to LSU AgCenter officials.

(Distributed 05/01/08) The 2008 State Fair of Louisiana, Oct. 23-Nov. 9 in Shreveport, will be dedicated to Louisiana 4-H to help celebrate the centennial of the youth organization. The fair theme is “Celebrate and Educate.”

(Distributed 05/01/08) While producers have thought of ill-tempered or difficult-to-handle cattle as an inconvenience or potential health hazard, LSU AgCenter research has shown that cattle with excitable temperament tend to have negative effects on carcass quality.

(Distributed 04/30/08) BOSSIER CITY – Bees are the angels of agriculture, said honey producer Bill Walker at the LSU AgCenter Lunch and Ag Discovery held April 22 at the Red River Research Station.

(Distributed 04/30/08) The LSU AgCenter’s Hammond Research Station will hold its second annual Landscape Horticulture Field Day for green industry professionals on May 15.

(Distributed 04/28/08) The LSU AgCenter’s Southeast Research Station and the Louisiana Forage and Grassland Council will sponsor a forage field day May 8.

(Distributed 04/25/08) More than 180 students had an opportunity to see what it’s like to be an adult at the “Welcome to The Real World” event at Lutcher High School on April 18.

(Distributed 04/25/08) Despite predictions by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, LSU AgCenter experts say 2008 rice acreage likely will be up in Louisiana.

(Distributed 04/25/08) HAMMOND – Seventeen lifelong 4-H supporters from southeastern Louisiana were inducted into the Louisiana state 4-H Hall of Fame April 20. They are among the first 100 chosen statewide for the honor during the 100th anniversary of 4-H in Louisiana this year.

(Distributed 04/23/08) MONROE – The Louisiana Volunteers for Family and Community heard about life lessons to be learned from family activities, gardening and finding happiness at the group’s statewide meeting April 16.

(Distributed 04/23/08) Using Louisiana sugar mills to produce biofuels and value-added chemicals in addition to sugar can help the state’s sugar industry become a driving force for economic growth in Louisiana and produce alternative fuels to satisfy the state’s demand, LSU AgCenter researchers told the U.S. secretary of energy April 21.

(Distributed 04/23/08) Fifteen individuals from Central Louisiana were honored April 17 as inductees to the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame. “Here are the heroes we should be emulating,” said Dr. Paul Coreil, LSU AgCenter vice chancellor for extension, about the honorees, who join 85 others as the first members of the Hall of Fame during 2008 – the centennial year for the 4-H organization in Louisiana.

(Distributed 04/22/08) The LSU AgCenter will conduct a Pond Management Workshop on Tuesday, May 6, from 9 a.m. until noon at the Folsom First Baptist Church Living Center in Folsom.

(Distributed 04/22/08) SHREVEPORT – The Louisiana Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences presented awards and installed officers at their recent annual conference. The LSU AgCenter organization chose for its theme this year, Lights, Camera, Action! Focus on Louisiana Families.

(Distributed 04/21/08) Dr. Daniel Stephenson has been hired as the new weed scientist for row crop agriculture at the LSU AgCenter’s Dean Lee Research and Extension Center in Alexandria. He begins work May 1. He will replace Roy Vidrine, who has retired after 36 years of service.

(Distributed 04/21/08) Louisiana landowners will have the opportunity to learn about carbon credits and how they may benefit at a conference on May 14 at Alexandria.

(Distributed 04/18/08) The LSU AgCenter’s Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station near Clinton will hold a white-tailed deer field day on Saturday, April 26.

(Distributed 04/18/08) Twenty-two individuals from 11 parishes in southwestern Louisiana were inducted into the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame at a ceremony held here April 15. The ceremony was one of several across the state to recognize 100 former members, volunteers and retired LSU AgCenter employees for their outstanding service to the LSU AgCenter’s 4-H program during its centennial celebration.

(Distributed 04/18/08) Typically grown in southeastern Louisiana, strawberries are flourishing in Madison Parish at Grady’s Garden, said R.L. Frazier, LSU AgCenter county agent, who is helping Lynne Grady with her crop on her farm 12 miles south of Tallulah on Highway 65.

(Distributed 04/17/08) Some gardeners shop for plants to fill voids in their gardens. Other gardeners buy plants they “just must have” and then search for spots to put them. Whichever group you fit into, East Baton Rouge Master Gardeners have the plants for you at their annual sale May 10.

(Distributed 04/17/08) The LSU AgCenter has scheduled a variety of model farm field tours this spring and summer for producers who need to complete the second phase of the Louisiana Master Farmer Program and learn about specific conservation practices.

(Distributed 04/16/08) LSU AgCenter rice research scientists conduct many projects at locations other than the Rice Research Station near Crowley. These off-station sites, typically between 2 and 6 acres, are in the state’s two rice-growing areas. This year four sites have been selected in southwestern Louisiana and two in northeastern Louisiana.

(Distributed 04/16/08) The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service has awarded the LSU AgCenter a grant to become the country’s 11th Center for Wood Utilization Research.

(Distributed 04/09/08) Sixth-grade students from Meaux Elementary School in Vermilion Parish got a better understanding of what they have learned about coastal ecology by taking a field trip to the marsh as part of the LSU AgCenter's Youth Wetlands Week. They toured the Freshwater Bayou Locks – only a mile from the Gulf of Mexico.

(Distributed 04/09/08) Members of the 2008 USA Rice Leadership Development class toured the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station April 3.

(Distributed 04/08/08) Food safety and food security took center stage as more than 100 industry representatives met for the fourth annual Louisiana Food Processors Conference April 2-3.

(Distributed 04/04/08) To help small municipalities and parishes comply with Phase II Urban Stormwater Permit renewal, LSU AgCenter in conjunction with the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality is conducting one-day workshops at three locations in Louisiana.

(Distributed 04/02/08) POLLOCK – Hundreds of permanent, long-time residents of the LSU AgCenter’s Grant Walker 4 H Educational Center are being treated to brand new housing, thanks to the efforts of 4 H’ers.

(Distributed 04/01/08)Six people from North Central Louisiana were inducted into the LSU AgCenter's 4-H Hall of Fame on March 27. They will join 94 others across the state who will be the first 100 honored as part of the state’s 4-H centennial celebration.

(Distributed 04/01/08) The LSU AgCenter’s Rosepine Research Station will host its annual cattle and forage field day May 1.

(Distributed 03/31/08) The LSU AgCenter’s wildlife research programs will benefit from a generous donation made by the Irene and C.B. Pennington Foundation. The $600,000 donation will lead to the establishment of the Pennington Chair for Wildlife Research, an endowed research position, at the LSU AgCenter’s Bob R. Jones – Idlewild Research Station.

(Distributed 03/31/08) Some Louisiana agricultural producers are being squeezed by rising energy costs and stagnant prices for their crops, while other producers are buoyed by rising commodity prices that offset those cost increases, according to experts with the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 03/31/08) Rob Ferguson has been appointed interim coordinator of the LSU AgCenter’s soybean, corn and grain sorghum extension education program.

(Distributed 03/28/08) Gov. Bobby Jindal has issued a proclamation declaring March 31-April 4 Youth Wetlands Week in Louisiana, according to Paul Coreil, vice chancellor for the LSU AgCenter. “Our Youth Wetlands Week educational program reaches across the state,” Coreil said. “More than 55,000 youth will be involved this year. We appreciate the governor’s endorsement of this effort.”

(Distributed 03/27/08) An LSU AgCenter web log, or blog, that features rice farming in Southwest Louisiana has begun its second year. The blog is following a commercial rice field near Lake Arthur being grown by farmer Ronnie “Blue” Zaunbrecher. The 39-acre field is in the Rice Verification Program under the direction of Johnny Saichuk, rice specialist.

(Distributed 03/26/08) The LSU AgCenter’s annual wheat and oat field day will be held April 17 at the Macon Ridge Research Station in Winnsboro.

(Distributed 03/26/08) The LSU AgCenter’s Hill Farm Research Station’s annual field day for beef, poultry, dairy, forage and forestry producers will be held April 24. Registration and exhibits by agribusiness companies begin at 11 a.m. followed by a 1 p.m. program.

(Distributed 3/25/08) Louisiana companies that produce and market wood products now have an accredited testing facility available to them in the state.

(Distributed 3/24/08) – A Southwest Louisiana farmer has found his niche by growing aromatic rice, and he’s eager for the release of a new LSU AgCenter variety to compete with rice imported from Thailand.

(Distributed 03/20/08) The LSU AgCenter invites you to "An Afternoon of Roses" at its Burden Center in Baton Rouge April 27. The Sunday afternoon event, hosted by the Burden Horticulture Society, will provide an opportunity for participants to view the rose garden at the Burden Center as well as to learn from experts about caring for roses. It runs from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. and is free to the public.

(Distributed 3/20/08) SHREVEPORT – Conducting a family meeting with open discussions to establish and maintain legacies and groom successors is an important part of maintaining family forestlands, Dr. Allen Nipper said at the 24th annual Ark-La-Tex Forestry Forum held March 13.

(Distributed 3/19/08) The LSU AgCenter honored 14 individuals who made significant contributions to 4-H when they were inducted into the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame at the Destrehan Plantation March 6.

(Distributed 03/14/08) Three-quarters of Louisianians have favorable opinions of farmers and farming in Louisiana, according to a recent statewide survey. The scientific study conducted by Market Research Insight for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation and the LSU AgCenter showed a full 75 percent of those polled said they had favorable or very favorable opinions about farmers and farming in the state.

(Distributed 03/13/08) After a successful first year in 2007, Youth Wetlands Week is expanding in 2008. This year during the week of March 31 through April 4, more than 55,000 students in grades four through 12 are expected to take part in lessons and activities designed to promote awareness of America’s wetlands.

(Distributed 3/13/08) The fourth annual Louisiana Food Processors Conference will be held April 2-3 at the Lod Cook Conference Center and Hotel on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge.

(Distributed 03/12/08) “Fun for a week – Memories for a lifetime!” That’s the theme of the summer 2008 4-H camping experience at the Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center near Pollock, La. The first of 10 weeklong camps won’t be until May 26-30. But registration for the camp, through LSU AgCenter parish extension offices, is going on now.

(Distributed 03/11/08) SHREVEPORT – Eleven people from Northwest Louisiana were inducted into the Louisiana 4-H Hall of Fame here on March 7.

(Distributed 03/11/08) The 2008 Spring Garden Show in New Orleans will be held at the City Park Botanical Garden April 5-6.

(Distributed 03/10/08) The 11th annual Louisiana 4-H Foundation Golf Tournament will be held April 4 at the Tamahka Trails Golf Club in Marksville. Proceeds from the golf tournament will be used to expand programs and renovate existing areas at the LSU AgCenter’s Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center near Pollock.

(Distributed 03/07/08) Richard Fontenot can’t sit still for very long. With more than 2,500 acres to farm, he can’t afford to. But his efforts and contributions to Louisiana agriculture led to the Ville Platte farmer being named the 2008 Louisiana Farmer of the Year. Other finalists recognized were Tommy LaBorde of Hamburg and Eric Morrow of Ponchatoula.

(Distributed 03/07/08) After five successful years on the LSU campus, this year’s sixth annual Baton Rouge Spring Garden Show is set to burst on the scene in full color on March 29-30.

(Distributed 03/07/08) Intermittent rains didn’t stop commercial tomato growers from viewing outdoor exhibits and touring the greenhouse tomato operation during a tomato field day at the LSU AgCenter’s Red River Research Station in Bossier City on Feb. 29.

(Distributed 03/05/08) The LSU AgCenter will bring the "magic" of agriculture back to its Parker Coliseum in Baton Rouge this spring as it presents its annual "AgMagic" event April 21-27. The successful interactive educational event on the university campus in Baton Rouge is in its fifth year and is designed to give children and adults a fun way to learn that food, clothing, lumber and other products all are part of the complex system involving agriculture and natural resources.

(Distributed 03/05/08) It is the beginning of another pecan season, and faculty at the LSU AgCenter Pecan Station in Shreveport greeted it Feb. 28 with a spring seminar attended by 35 growers.

(Distributed 03/05/08) The Louisiana Association of Extension 4-H Agents touted accomplishments and expressed appreciation to those in attendance at the annual Louisiana School Boards Association Board of Directors and Superintendents’ Breakfast during LSBA’s 71st convention Feb. 29.

(Distributed 03/03/08) DERIDDER – Fifty forest landowners and industry leaders learned about the potential of using low-grade wood products to produce biofuels during the Beauregard Forestry Association annual meeting Feb. 23.

(Distributed 02/29/08) As competition between food and bioenergy drives up prices of corn, soybeans and other farm commodities, Louisiana has untapped land that could be put into production for alternative crops, according to agricultural industry observers.

(Distributed 02/29/08) HAMBURG – Most crawfish producers don’t check oxygen levels of their water, but that step can help improve production, according to Dr. Robert Romaire, an LSU AgCenter aquaculture expert. “If you’re in the crawfish business, you really ought to be checking it on a regular basis,” he told producers at a meeting here on Feb. 29.

(Distributed 02/29/08) The LSU AgCenter invites you to stroll through the azaleas at Windrush Gardens in its Burden Center in Baton Rouge March 9.

(Distributed 02/29/08) Mayhaw growers can learn the latest research about producing their crops during the 12th annual mayhaw conference and field day slated for March 7 at the Wesley Center in Woodworth.

(Distributed 02/27/08) Master Farmer Phase I training via distance learning will be offered by the LSU AgCenter on March 5-7 from 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sites available for producers in north Louisiana include the Scott Research and Extension Education Center in Winnsboro, West Carroll Parish Extension Office in Oak Grove, Red River Research Station in Bossier City and the Grant Walker Educational Center in Pollock.

(Distributed 02/27/08) Learn the basics of athletic field maintenance at an LSU AgCenter workshop to be held at the University of Louisiana-Monroe Malone Stadium on March 20 from 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Registration begins at 8 a.m. Dr. Buck Bounds, a Master Gardener and retired professor at ULM, will give the introduction.

(Distributed 02/27/08) The 9th Annual Southwest Louisiana Garden Festival will be held in Lake Charles on March 29-30 at Burton Coliseum at 7001 Gulf Highway.

(Distributed 02/25/08) Three LSU AgCenter scientists were honored at by the Rice Technical Working Group. They are Dr. Chuck Rush, professor in the Department of Plant Pathology & Crop Physiology, and Dr. Richard Dunand, retired plant pathologist at the AgCenter’s Rice Research Station in Crowley, with Distinguished Service Awards. Dr. Don Groth, plant pathologist at the Rice Station, received the Distinguished Rice Research and Education Award.

(Distributed 02/21/08) BOSSIER CITY – A capacity crowd of 50 people gathered at the Red River Research Station Feb. 13 to learn about blackberries – the fruit, not the mobile telephone/e-mail device.

(Distributed 02/20/08) The LSU AgCenter and the Louisiana Equine Council (LEC) are sponsoring the 2nd Annual Louisiana Horse Expo on March 8-9 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

(Distributed 02/20/08) Roll with the Changes is the theme of the 24th annual Ark-La-Tex Forestry Forum to be held Thursday, March 13, from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn Airport Financial Plaza in Shreveport.

(Distributed 02/20/08) The LSU AgCenter and EPA Region VI will conduct a series of three workshops across the state to help local officials and consultants develop storm water management plans and make sure the ones they have will fulfill the requirements of the new storm water permit.

(Distributed 02/19/08) Educational access to underserved areas is increasing with the LSU AgCenter’s participation in the Rural Community College Initiative, educators learned Feb. 12 at a meeting of RCCI updates and recommendations.

(Distributed 02/19/08) Officials with the LSU AgCenter and the Ascension Parish Council have signed an agreement to extend the lease of the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center for the annual statewide 4-H and FFA livestock show for two more years with the option for another two years.

(Distributed 02/18/08) A groundbreaking new Web site that provides a gateway to Cooperative Extension Service experts from across the country will officially launch this week. Billed as a “next gen Google,” the site dubbed eXtension.org promises to be a gateway to answering all of life’s little questions – from parenting to saving and investing, gardening, controlling fire ants, caring for livestock, running a business and much more.

(Distributed 02/18/08) Hundreds of young people from across Louisiana were named state champions during the 73rd Annual LSU AgCenter 4-H and FFA Livestock Show Feb. 9-16 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

(Distributed 02/16/08) Six exceptional Louisiana youths were recognized Saturday (Feb. 16) for their knowledge, skills and communication abilities as they were named winners of the Gerry Lane Premier Exhibitor Awards at the 73rd annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show held at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

(Distributed 02/16/08) Six 4-H and FFA members and a volunteer leader were honored Saturday (Feb. 16) for their outstanding work with youth livestock projects.

(Distributed 02/14/08) A half-hour TV documentary, “Louisiana’s Lucky Clover: A Century of 4-H” will be broadcast for the first time on Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB) and its affiliate stations on March 12 at 7:40 p.m. Produced by the LSU AgCenter, the documentary tracks the history of 4-H from the first “corn club” in Avoyelles Parish in 1908 to today’s vast network of clubs and projects across that state that involved about 225,000 young people in 2007.

(Distributed 02/13/08) A series of crawfish production meetings sponsored by the LSU AgCenter will provide information to help farmers. Topics will include economical and efficient pumping, production economics and pond management. There will be an update on the white spot syndrome virus found in some ponds during 2007.

(Distributed 02/12/2008) The Northshore Spring Garden Show will be held March 15-16, 2008 in the Bobby Fletcher Agriculture Center at the St. Tammany Parish Fairgrounds in Covington.