(TV News 08/27/07) The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the new farm bill in late July. Farmers were hoping for an extension of the 2002 farm bill. That is not quite what they have so far in the 2007 bill, but an LSU AgCenter economist says Louisiana producers could find some satisfaction with the current draft. (Runtime: 1 minute, 46 seconds)

(Distributed 08/01/07) It could be a “harvest and wait” situation if farmers growing corn don’t have enough storage capability. Those farmers will have to truck their harvest to local bins for storage or use temporary measures, said Dr. David Lanclos, a corn specialist for the LSU AgCenter. "There is going to be a bottleneck come harvest time because the infrastructure isn't there."

(Distributed 08/22/07) The corn harvest in Northeast Louisiana is 65 percent complete, and lines are getting longer at the elevators with some producers using temporary storage facilities in Winnsboro, Crowville and Monticello. Combines are able to cut corn quicker than trucks can empty their loads at the elevators, said Myrl Sistrunk, West Carroll Parish county agent for the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 08/24/07) Persistent rainfall during the growing season and dry weather at harvest time have been good for Louisiana corn farmers, according to the experts. That success comes with a downside, however, since farmers across the state are having trouble unloading their trucks at grain elevators because of backlogs that can’t be shipped out fast enough.

(For Release On Or After 08/31/07) In Louisiana our ever-blooming roses fortunately provide us with two really great seasons of bloom, and now is the time to prune in preparation for one of those seasons.

(For Release On Or After 08/10/07) Growing plants in containers outdoors is popular for a variety of reasons, and such plants can be used to enhance your outdoor landscape.

(For Release On Or After 08/24/07) Sharing plants is one of the pleasures of gardening. When gardeners get together and a plant is complimented, it is not unusual for the admirer to be offered a "piece" to take home and root.

(For Release On Or After 08/17/07) Flower beds that are past their prime and overrun with weeds can be a common sight in our late-summer landscape. But you don’t have to just give up and accept such sad-looking elements in your landscape, since there are ways you can freshen up these tired beds.

(For Release On Or After 08/03/07) Our yards and gardens generally look a little frayed around the edges by this time of the year. On top of heat stress, plants also are more vulnerable to insect and disease problems now.

(For Release On Or After 09/28/07) As we move toward October, it is not too early to make plans for houseplants that spent the summer outdoors. You will need to bring them back inside when it starts to get cold, and there are a variety of jobs you can look at doing now.

(For Release On Or After 09/21/07) Bromeliads are a beautiful group of tropical plants. With their many shapes and colors and their ease of culture, once you have one bromeliad you are likely to want more.

(For Release On Or After 09/14/07) In late summer gardeners need to think about two important points of landscape maintenance – fertilizing and pruning.

(For Release On Or After 09/07/07) September is a transitional month in the vegetable garden. Toward the end of this month we should see some relief from the intense heat of mid- to late summer. Still, September can be quite warm, and daytime highs in the 80s are common well into October.

(Audio 08/13/07) We start looking for pears to ripen on our trees in August. They will start to change color, with a red blush appearing on the fruit. You also might notice the fruit soften or drop out of the tree. If that happens before they're ripe, you can ripen them off the tree for fresh eating. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/13/07) Many gardeners grow plants in containers. Container plants growing outdoors may need to be repotted after vigorous growth during the summer. You can see wilting and stunted growth on a plant that has outgrown its container. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/13/07) When it's hot outside, gardeners need to look for jobs that can be done in the shade. Ferns work great in shady areas, and this time of the year they may have unattractive fronds that need tending. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/13/07) The Louisiana Iris becomes dormant in the months of August and September. Then they begin active growth again in October. That means now is a great time to divide and transplant these plants. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Audio 08/12/07) Louisiana gardeners can plant milkweed or butterfly weed for migrating monarch butterflies. Monarchs lay eggs on the butterfly weed. Although these plants may have other insect problems, remember that using insecticides on them will harm the butterflies. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Video 08/13/07) Despite the intense heat this time of the year, you can still add warm-season bedding plants to your landscape to provide that great color we all crave. Stop by your local nursery or garden center, and you’ll find they have a wide selection of wonderful plants in just about every height and color you can imagine. (Runtime: 1 minute, 33 seconds)

(Distributed 08/01/07) Persistent rainfall this year has been both good and bad for Louisiana farmers growing corn and grain sorghum. It has been good to help them produce the crops, but it could be bad if the rain continues and delays a bountiful harvest, experts and farmers say.

(Distributed 08/10/07) The LSU AgCenter is one of five partners in the Delta Nutrition Intervention Research Initiative being conducted in Franklin Parish where an office was recently renovated at the Courthouse Annex to house the community program.

(Distributed 08/15/07) The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the new federal farm bill in late July. Although farmers were hoping for an extension of the 2002 farm bill, that is not quite what they have so far, experts say. But LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry says Louisiana producers could find some satisfaction with the current draft.

(Distributed 08/16/07) Officials joined in a groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday (Aug. 15) for the Louisiana Emergency Shelter to be constructed at the LSU AgCenter’s Dean Lee Research Station here. Located just south of the LSU-Alexandria campus, the $26 million, 230,000-square foot, climate-controlled shelter is being built to provide a place for citizens seeking refuge during emergencies such as hurricanes and other disasters.

(Distributed 08/16/07) Fifty-seven 50-year-old pine trees at the LSU AgCenter Hill Farm Research Station are being cut down and sliced to get wood quality data. Over the years, the trees had been used in numerous research studies that were recently concluded.

(Distributed 08/20/07) More than 80 hunting and wildlife enthusiasts braved 100-degree plus temperatures in mid-August (Aug. 13) to find out about planting food plots to attract doves.

(Distributed 08/20/07) The LSU AgCenter’s annual field day and open house at the Red River Research Station will be held Thursday, Sept. 6, at the station in Bossier City.

(Distributed 08/23/07) Exurbanization – the movement of people out of cities and suburbs onto lands farther out – is leading to new housing developments that contribute to fragmented forests.

(Distributed 08/23/07) The LSU AgCenter’s Louisiana Forest Products Development Center recently launched a new Web site designed to promote economic development in Louisiana’s forest sector.

(Distributed 08/23/07) Members of the LSU AgCenter’s task forces aimed at helping coastal Louisiana recover from the 2005 hurricanes met recently (Aug. 16-17) to discuss the progress made over the past two years, but they also agreed their mission still is an ongoing project.

(Distributed 08/23/07) LSU AgCenter wildlife specialist Dr. Don Reed and representatives from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will conduct a seminar on deer food plots and tagging on Monday, Sept. 10.

(Distributed 08/23/07) A Louisiana youngster was among the winners of various awards at the 28th annual National 4-H Forestry Invitational earlier this summer.

(Distributed 08/28/07) Participants heard about a variety of studies involving cotton, corn and soybeans during the recent Dean Lee Research and Extension Center Row Crop Field Day.

(Distributed 08/29/07) The LSU AgCenter has extended a popular educational program for current and potential operators of child care businesses in parishes severely affected by the 2005 hurricanes.

(Distributed 08/29/07) "The hurricanes aren’t coming back, are they?" a preschooler shyly asked of his teacher. That question demonstrates the fears and uncertainty faculty members in the LSU AgCenter and the LSU School of Human Ecology have been trying to combat for the past two years.

(Distributed 08/30/07) Louisiana’s cotton acreage dropped dramatically this year as growers planted around 325,000 acres – only slightly more than half of what was planted last year.

(Distributed 08/30/07) A retired Louisiana 4-H specialist is among 20 people who will be inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame this fall. Joan McCrory of Baton Rouge, who retired from the LSU AgCenter as a professor in 4-H Youth Development in 2005, has been selected as a member of the 4-H Hall of Fame’s "2007 class," which will be formally recognized Oct. 5 at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, Md.

(Distributed 08/30/07) The LSU AgCenter recently partnered with the St. Mary Parish School System to provide a Junior Master Gardener program for third, fourth and fifth graders.

(Distributed 08/08/07) Forty-two employees at the Wal-Mart in Minden, La., are learning to eat healthier – on work time – by participating in a series of “Smart Portions” classes taught by Joan Almond, an LSU AgCenter extension agent who specializes in nutrition and health issues and teaches healthy eating as one of her responsibilities in Claiborne and Webster parishes.

(Distributed 08/14/07) Louisiana had three first-place winners in the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships in Memphis, held July 31-Aug. 5. They were Dani Anderson, West Carroll Parish, first in barrel racing; Aaron Burns of Rapides Parish, first in tie-down roping; and Angelique Sellars, Lafayette Parish, first in pole bending.

(Distributed 08/29/07) Dr. Mike Salassi, an agricultural economist, and Dr. Ben Legendre, a sugarcane specialist and interim head of the Audubon Sugar Institute, were among a team that won a national U.S. Department of Agriculture service award for their efforts in helping the sugarcane industry recover from the disaster caused by hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.

(Distributed 08/28/07) Longtime faculty member Dr. D. Allen Rutherford has been named the new director of the School of Renewable Natural Resources. He took over July 1, 2007, from William Kelso, who had served as interim director after the retirement of Bob Blackmon in 2005.

(Distributed 08/20/07) The LSU AgCenter has renewed and expanded its partnership with the State Fair of Louisiana and will coordinate the competitive educational exhibits portion of the Agricultural Building for the 2007 show. The fair, held in Shreveport, will run from Oct. 25 to Nov. 11. LSU AgCenter agents in Bossier Parish, Jeannie Crnkovic and Terry Foster, have assumed leadership for this endeavor.

(Distributed 08/17/07) Dani Anderson of Oak Grove was only 11 when she won first place in barrel racing at the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championships in Memphis July 31-Aug. 5. Dani, who turned 12 on Aug. 10, competed in the 19-and-under category with 101 mostly older 4-H’ers from 13 states.

(Distributed 08/14/07) Work with your neighbors and diversify your tradition-based agricultural economy were some of the words of advice given at the recent Miss-Lou Regional Tourism Summit in Vidalia, La. The conference, Aug. 7-9, was held to help community leaders in eastern Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi develop “agritourism” opportunities, said Dr. Kay Lynn Tettleton, LSU AgCenter community development agent and one of the conference planners.

(Distributed 08/16/07) Visitors to the Parkway Partners monthly plant sale Saturday (Aug. 11) purchased scores of vetiver grass plants to add to their landscapes. Planting vetiver grass as a termite barrier is part of a grassroots effort by Dr. Gregg Henderson to encourage people to use the plant as one of the tools to control Formosan subterranean termites.

(Distributed 08/02/07) An LSU AgCenter 4-H team placed ninth out of 19 state teams at the national Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program (WHEP) contest, held in Cedar City, Utah, July 25-29.

(Distributed 08/29/07) To winterize Southern, warm-season lawns, apply a fertilizer with more potash than nitrogren. Potash is represented by the third number on a fertilizer bag, while nitrogen is shown as the first.

(Radio News 08/06/07) Asian soybean rust continues to spread throughout Louisiana and surrounding states. Soybean growers and researchers have been vigilant this year and spotted the disease earlier in sentinel plots in Louisiana. The disease is now being found in production fields in the state. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/06/07) Many children do not eat breakfast every day. In the back-to-school rush, breakfast often is sacrificed. But LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames stresses it is important to eat a healthy breakfast. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/06/07) Efficient harvesting can reduce yield losses in the field. LSU AgCenter agricultural engineer Dr. Roberto Barbosa says proper use of the combine and watching the weather makes for an efficient harvest. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/06/07) Back-to-school shopping is a great opportunity to teach youngsters about budgeting and money management. Work with your children to develop back-to-school lists and budgets. Be sure to include items such as haircuts, immunizations and fees for extra-curricular activities. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(TV News 08/06/07) Louisiana farmers already have started harvesting some of their corn crop. The state has an exceptionally large crop this year – more than 700,000 acres. But rainy conditions across the state are making it difficult to keep the harvest moving. (Runtime: 1 minute, 8 seconds)

(Radio News 08/13/07) Snacks are an important part of a child’s daily diet. LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames suggests trying to incorporate whole grains, fruits, vegetables or beans into your child’s snack-eating plan and using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPyramid for healthy snack ideas. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/13/07) With soaring temperatures and even higer heat indexes, it is important for student athletes returning to school and practice to be well-hydrated. Dehydration can lead to many problems, says LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/13/07) Sugarcane growers use glyphosate to ripen their cane. But a smaller dose is used, because glyphosate is a herbicide, explains LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Dr. Ben Legendre. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/13/07) In early December of last year, Louisiana saw some of the coldest temperatures for that time in more than 60 years. The early winter freezes allowed researchers to look at cold tolerance of some new sugarcane varieties, says LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Dr. Ben Legendre. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/12/07) Two years ago one sugarcane variety was growing on 91 percent of the state’s sugarcane acreage. The variety LCP 85-384 has dominated the industry for more than a decade, but is on the decline, says LSU AgCenter sugarcane breeder Dr. Kenneth Gravois. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(TV News 08/13/07) Two years ago one sugarcane variety was growing on 91 percent of the state’s sugarcane acreage. The variety LCP 85-384 has dominated the industry for more than a decade, but sugarcane experts have long recommended that growers diversify their acreage. With the release of new varieties, growers have more options when planting. (Runtime: 1 minute, 39 seconds)

(Radio News 08/20/07) Quality child care is an important component of rebuilding the economies of hurricane-affected areas of the state. The LSU AgCenter has extended its child care business training program for another year. The program's goal is to teach potential day care operators how to start their businesses in hurricane-affected parishes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/20/07) Louisiana has a strong infrastructure to support the cotton industry, but falling cotton acreage threatens the infrastructure’s existence, says LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry.(Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/20/07) Commodity prices are significantly higher this year than they were the same time last year. LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry says the high commodity prices will help offset high production costs for some crops. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/20/07) Like growers of many commodities, rice farmers faced high production costs this year. These rising production costs can eat into farmers' potential profit. Many rice producers in South Louisiana will grow a second crop of rice for harvest later in the fall, and that second crop often is where a farmer’s profit is made. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/20/07) A shortage of rice seed and high prices for other commodities left rice acreage fairly low again this year. But LSU AgCenter rice specialist Dr. Johnny Saichuk says the estimated 350,000 acres that were planted are ready for harvest. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/27/07) Employment during college can have its advantages and disadvantages. LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker says working can help students gain a sense of responsibility and self-worth. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/27/07) Many young adults are preparing to leave home for college. Parents need to be sure their children don’t fall prey to credit card debt, says LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/27/07) Financing a college education often involves many people – from the students and their families to lending agencies and scholarship providers. LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker encourages students to formally develop a college financing strategy. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/27/07) The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version of the 2007 farm bill in late July. LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry says farmers didn’t want many changes from the 2002 farm bill to this one. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/27/07) Federal lawmakers are drafting a new version of the farm bill. The U.S. House of Representatives passed its version in late July. LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry explains some of the changes in this version of the bill from the 2002 farm bill. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(TV News 08/20/07) A rainy end to July slowed the start of the harvest of several crops, including rice. But August began with a drier period, and rice growers are working hard to get their crops out of the fields. (Runtime: 1 minute, 13 seconds)