(For Release On Or After 01/30/04)If we Louisiana gardeners used only plants that are hardy in our area, we would never have to cover them or be worried about them when it freezes.

(For Release On Or After 01/23/04)Invisible pests are living in the soil of our vegetable gardens, and these microscopic round worms known as nematodes are problems for home gardeners and commercial farmers.

(For Release On Or After 01/16/04)Arbor Day, a day we set aside to appreciate trees and plant them, is celebrated on the third Friday in January in Louisiana.

(For Release On Or After 01/09/04) Pruning is a gardening job that is often neglected because gardeners are not exactly sure what to do. There is a great deal of confusion about how to prune, when to do it and even why pruning is done.

(For Release On Or After 01/02/04) Three flowers, two bedding plants and three vegetables earned the distinction of being named 2004 All-America Selection Awards. And one of them was an All-America Selection Gold Medal winner.

The thousands who attended this year's Ag Expo in Monroe Jan. 16-17 had a chance to see a new feature known as Ag Alley. See photos from that event.

(Distributed 01/30/04) Louisiana youth are learning how agriculture affects their lives with the help of LSU AgCenter and its faculty members across the state.

(Distributed 01/30/04) The LSU AgCenter and the Louisiana Mosquito Control Association are sponsoring a workshop for those interested in becoming certified as pesticide applicators in mosquito control.

(Distributed 01/30/04) The LSU AgCenter’s 8th annual Greenhouse Tomato Seminar and Field Day is scheduled for the afternoon of Feb. 27 at the Red River Research Station near Bossier City.

(Distributed 01/20/04) Louisiana cotton producers Tuesday (Jan. 20) heard a variety of experts tell them how research and technology can help them bring in a bumper crop this year just as they did in 2003.

(Distributed 01/20/04) Agricultural experts say the future for the 2004 American food and fiber markets looks "good." That was the message given to about 130 people who attended the LSU AgCenter’s AgOutlook Conference Thursday (Jan. 15) in Monroe.

(Distributed 01/15/04) 4-H Club members, 4-H leaders and representatives of other organizations volunteered to jump start Arbor Day celebrations in Louisiana by planting trees, flowers and making improvements to the Native Grove Trail Jan. 10 at the historic Southern Forest Heritage Museum in this community near Alexandria.

(Distributed 01/15/04)Dr. Johnny Saichuk, rice specialist with the LSU AgCenter, received the prestigious 2003 Rice Industry Award recently.

(Distributed 01/14/04) The LSU AgCenter’s 69th annual Livestock Show will have a new home this year as the Feb. 7-14 events move to the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

(Distributed 01/14/04) Crawfish farmers will have a way to improve the diets of their crustaceans, thanks to researchers at the LSU AgCenter’s Rice Research Station at Crowley.

(Distributed 01/14/04) The LSU AgCenter will present information that can help farmers grow profitable crops during the 2004 Louisiana Cotton Forum slated for Jan. 20 at the Holiday Inn Conference Center in Monroe.

(Distributed 01/13/04) The LSU AgCenter will formally kick off a new educational program for beef cattle producers later this month. A brief introduction and the first sessions of what is known as the Master Cattle Producer Program will be offered Jan. 23 during the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association Convention and Trade Show in Lafayette.

(Distributed 01/09/04) Consumers shouldn’t be afraid of eating beef in the wake of the report that a cow in Washington State was diagnosed with "mad cow disease," according to faculty members in the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 01/09/04) Reports concerning Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy have raised a lot of questions. To clear up some of the misconceptions or questions, here are some of the questions being raised and the answers provided this week (Jan. 5-9) by LSU AgCenter veterinarian Dr. Steve Nicholson.

(Distributed 01/09/04) The future of the Louisiana cattle market will be discussed during the AgOutlook Conference scheduled for Jan. 15 in Monroe.

(Distributed 01/09/04) The LSU AgCenter is among the sponsors for the 2004 Gulf States Horticultural Expo scheduled for Jan. 29-31 at the Arthur Outlaw Convention Center and Adams Mark Hotel in Mobile, Ala.

(Distributed 01/08/04) The recent warm days and chilly nights have been near perfect for this year’s strawberry crop, according to the LSU AgCenter’s Dr. Regina Bracy, who says the 2004 crop is off to a good start but could be slowed a little by the recent cold snap.

(Distributed 01/06/04) Rains around the New Year’s holiday weekend didn’t dampen this season’s Louisiana sugarcane harvest – which experts say turned out to be "relatively good."

(Distributed January 2004) Are you in the market for child care? Do you want to find just the right setting for your child, but you don't know enough about the all options to choose one? It may be time for some expert advice.

(Distributed January 2004) Working families may pay anywhere from 10 percent to 15 percent of their total family income on child care, and experts say the cost frequently is related to the quality of services you and your children receive.

(Distributed January 2004) Parents and grandparents often face the challenge of deciding what toys are appropriate for their children or grandchildren. The same thing is true of child-care providers seeking new toys for their child-care centers.

(Distributed January 2004) The cold and flu season is here, and that means young children are at risk of contracting contagious diseases such as influenza, diarrhea, strep throat and rashes – just to name a few.

(Distributed January 2004) Many New Year’s Resolutions are long forgotten by the first of February. One to make and keep, however, is resolving to take control of your family finances, according to LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker.

(Distributed January 2004) In January and February, outdoor gardening is at a low to nonexistent rate in most homes. "Why not clean up the yard in preparation for spring gardening?" asks LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.

(Distributed January 2004) "Sometimes Medicare isn’t enough," says LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker. To help out is Louisiana Medicaid’s Medicare Savings Program.

(Distributed January 2004) Scientists are learning about the role of genetic and non-genetic factors in cardiovascular, metabolic and hormonal responses to aerobic exercise through a three-part investigation begun 12 years ago, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Heli Roy.

(Distributed January 2004) What is an insurance score? How does it differ from a credit score? "Although very closely related, they are not the same," says LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker.

(Distributed January 2004) During the past holiday season, many Americans went on a shopping spree. "Now they’re paying the piper," says LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker.

(Distributed January 2004) Louisiana's "green industry" continues to be one of the leading economic players among the state's agricultural commodities, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske. It trails only forestry.

(Distributed January 2004) With winter here, garden produce may not look so good. The cold may bring out off-colors because of a different concentration of pigments in the plants, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.

(Distributed January 2004) "You don’t want food poisoning as your memento of the Mardi Gras season," says LSU AgCenter nutritionist and food safety expert Dr. Beth Reames. By following some simple practices, you can enjoy the festivities without suffering from foodborne illnesses.

(Distributed January 2004) Eating raw or undercooked eggs is an invitation for foodborne illness. The same is true for lightly cooked eggs and egg dishes, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Distributed January 2004) Young and mature adults, ages 18-44, who get type 2 diabetes are 14 times more likely to have a heart attack and up to 30 times more likely to have a stroke than their peers without diabetes. "The heart-attack rate is especially alarming," says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames.

(Distributed January 2004) Aquatic exercise is one of the fastest growing segments of the fitness industry, according to LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames, who advocates exercise with a proper diet for a healthy lifestyle.

(Distributed January 2004) With the beginning of the year comes a new start at vegetable gardening. In January, you may already have at least 20 crops growing in the garden from last fall, says LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Tom Koske.

(Distributed January 2004) The New Year ushers in new rose varieties and winners of the All-America Rose Selection, according to LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dr. Allen Owings.