(Distributed 09/17/08) The deadline has been extended to Sept. 30 for farmers who need waivers from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) to qualify for federal disaster insurance to help cover their losses from hurricanes Gustav and Ike. “The deadline had been Sept. 16, but because some of the FSA offices were without power because of the hurricanes, the deadline was extended a couple of weeks,” said Dr. Kurt Guidry, LSU AgCenter agricultural economist.

(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 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.

LSU AgCenter scientists confirmed on Friday (June 30) that Asian soybean rust is in Louisiana. This is the first finding of the disease for 2006, and it was found on kudzu, another plant besides soybeans susceptible to the disease.