Please click on the image above to view the PDF version of the 2012 St. Tammany Parish Profile.

Program Highlights

Agriculture & Natural Resources
As area citizens continue to settle in the St. Tammany Parish area we have more homes equaling more lawns and landscaping. Master Gardeners have been trained to provide homeowner groups, schools and churches with management and maintenance of the grounds and gardens. Several vegetable seminars and educational plant shows provide area residents with their horticulture information. Additionally, forestry continues to play an important interest to St. Tammany residents. Landowners continue to seek information on how to maintain their forest within the urbanization of St. Tammany Parish.

4-H Youth and Family Development
The incidence of youth obesity is rising at an alarming rate, not only in St. Tammany Parish, but across the country. Three thousand one hundred fourteen St. Tammany Parish School Children learned to make healthy food choices especially when selecting snacks, the importance of fruits and vegetables in the diet and the role of exercise plays in improving health in a twelve week curriculum series. Participants also toured the LSU Ag Center’s Body Walk exhibit. As a result of participating in this program, teachers have reported an increase in the number of youth including at least one new fruit or vegetable in their diet at lunch and with the implementation of the take ten activities in the classroom students are increasing their physical activity by fifty minutes each week.

Due to the current economic climate, we have seen an increase in demand for residents needing basic financial management education. To help residents with financial issues the SAIL (Saving and Investing for Life) Program was offered. In the program participants learn the importance of improving ones financial stability and security by reducing debt and improving money management. Post surveys results suggest that suggest that 100% of the SAIL participants established emergency funds, 91% increased investing for retirement and 71% paid off some high cost debt. When you support the LSU AgCenter family economics (SAIL) program, participants will manage their finances to implement a saving and investing plan which leads to increased financial stability and security, which will benefit other community members by reducing the demand for public assistance.

Who we reach:

53,947 -Youth (33 4-H Clubs, School Enrichment, Character Education, Youth Wetlands Week, After School Education)
67,749 - Adults 8,787 Ag & Natural Resources 58,962 Family Consumer Science

How we reach them:

4-H Clubs, Workshops & Clinics, School Enrichment, After–School, Shooting Sports, Field days, Social media, Newsletters, Publications, News Articles, and School Gardens.

Expanding our efforts:

250 Volunteers - 4-H, Master Gardeners, Family & Community 

Parish Facts  

LSU AgCenter County Agents provide research-based information on plant, aqua-culture, wildlife and animal enterprises to St. Tammany Parish clientele. The 2008 total dollar amount from these commodities were:

• Plant enterprises - $26,267,220.
• Aquaculture and wildlife - $7,987,702.
• Animal enterprises - $60,061,724.

Data from the Louisiana Ag Summary Web site: LSUAgCenter.com/agsummary

Population - 228,456
Land area (square miles) - 845.15
Persons under 18 years old - 25.9%
Persons 65 years old and over - 11.7%
Median household income - $55,891
Persons below poverty - 11.2% 

Local Issues & Plans for this year

1. Increases productivity and profitability of Louisiana Agriculture.  

• Conduct 11th Annual Master Gardener Training
• Conduct Fruit and Vegetable, spring and fall seminars
• Write news articles and web page content on home garden and home ground practices
• Visit local commercial vegetable and small fruit farms for best management practices

2. Promote the wise use of natural resources and protection of the environment.  

• Before and after hurricane tree care seminars
• Promote and conduct Forestry, Best Management Practices
• Conduct home visits for urban tree care

3. Build leaders and good citizens through AgCenter programs.  

• Develop and strengthen horticulture volunteer education through the St. Tammany Parish Master Gardeners Association
• Develop and strengthen forestry urbanization Issues and policies through the St. Tammany Parish Forestry Association

4. Build leaders and good citizens through 4-H youth development.  

• Develop and implement service learning projects throughout the parish.
• Developing wetlands areas at five local parish schools and continuing to increase awareness of coastal erosion through the Youth Wetlands Week program.
• Develop life skills, character and knowledge through the 4-H Livestock Program as 4-H members select, care for and exhibit their animal project.

5. Strengthen families and communities.  

• Develop and strengthen Family & Consumer Science programs across the parish.
• Promote best practices for budgeting and child care.
• Continue to teach classes to residents on financial management and family & human development.
• Build and strengthen partnerships with other organizations in the parish.