(Distributed 07/13/07) With the start of the school year, parents often have high expectations and positive thoughts for the coming school year. Getting off to a great start requires three simple, but important, ingredients, according to LSU AgCenter 4-H youth development professor Dr. Janet Fox.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Start the school year off right by sending your kids to school using a budget and the money-management skills you will teach them. Back-to-school planning offers many opportunities to demonstrate budgeting techniques and to set positive examples, according to LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Parents want to see their children succeed in school. Believe it or not, school success often depends on what happens outside of school, according to LSU AgCenter family and child development professor Dr. Diane Sasser.

(Distributed 07/12/07) More than 179,000 youth in Louisiana have found a home in 4-H. The new school year offers the opportunity for students to join 4-H clubs where they can interact with others who have common interests, according to LSU AgCenter director of the 4-H Youth Program Dr. Mark Tassin.

(Distributed 07/12/07) A garden provides a site for hands-on lessons about fruits and vegetables, important components of our diet.

(Distributed 07/12/07) With the start of school, many parents’ thoughts go to preparing their child for a positive start. Little to no thought, however, is spent figuring out how parents can get involved in supporting their child during the school year, according to 4-H youth development professor Dr. Janet Fox.

(Distributed 07/12/07) School pride is often equated with athletics and team support, but it means much more to a youth. School pride involves a sense of belonging, of being part of something that is bigger than the individual and through which one finds value and identity.

(Distributed 07/13/07)Sometimes financing a college education is often a partnership involving the student, family, school and a lending agency. LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker encourages college students to find out each partner’s responsibilities.

(Distributed 07/13/07) The rush to school and work each day means some things have to be sacrificed – and often that includes breakfast. Surveys show that as many as 48 percent of girls and 32 percent of boys do not eat breakfast every day.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Moving away from home for the first time is a pivotal moment. It is one of the rites of passage from youth to adulthood.

(Distributed 07/12/07) Employment is more than a way for students to make money, according to LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Jeanette Tucker. It also can foster a sense of self-worth, develop a sense of responsibility and accomplishment, enable a contribution to society and cultivate a sense of professional identity.

(Distributed 07/12/07) Education is valuable throughout your life, and the achievements you make today can determine the salaries you earn over a lifetime.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Expressing your individuality and exercising comfort are the most important considerations for deciding what to wear as a college student.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Whether your child is starting kindergarten, first grade, middle school or high school, the transition to a new setting can be stressful. To make a smooth transition, it’s important to take a few steps to making the transition a positive one, according to 4-H youth development expert Dr. Janet Fox.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Don't let your child's after-school snack attack catch you off guard. Keep plenty of healthy food choices from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s MyPyramid on hand to satisfy ravenous appetites.

(Distributed 07/12/07) Students of all ages use backpacks to make their lives easier by organizing and carrying books and school supplies. Colors, styles and fabric selections are among the many difficult decisions to make when purchasing a backpack.

(Distributed 07/13/07)As you prep your college-bound kids for all the perils in life, don’t forget money management, advises LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker.

(Distributed 07/12/07) Back-to-school time isn’t just for kids. Adults have responsibilities, too, according to LSU AgCenter family resource management specialist Dr. Karen Overstreet.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Before your preteen goes back to school this year, remember that many changes take place during the preteen and teen years. It will be important that you be particularly perceptive at this time even though this is the time your child wants to be more independent, according to LSU AgCenter family and child development expert Dr. Diane Sasser.

(Distributed 07/13/07) It happens to almost every parent – your child brings home a report card that is less than satisfactory in your eyes. How do you handle it? Do you blow a gasket? Or ignore it, hoping it will go away?

(Distributed 07/13/07) Where does the time go? With mixed emotions, you and your child will be preparing for the start of the next school year. But you don’t want one of those emotions to be one of panic.

(Distributed 07/13/07)Back-to-school time always brings out mixed emotions. Students are excited to see their friends and get back into a comfortable routine but not looking forward to studying and the confines of a school day.

(Distributed 07/13/07) As a parent or guardian, no one knows your child as you do. You know your child’s personality, strengths, weaknesses and interests. The school you choose should reflect your family’s values and meet your child’s needs.

(Distributed 07/12/07) A milestone for many families is the day their child begins kindergarten. Typically, in Louisiana, children must be age 5 prior to September 30 to enter kindergarten.

(Distributed 07/12/07) Athletes need adequate fluids for optimal physical performance. Dehydration impairs performance by causing cramps, weakness and headache. Dehydration can lead to higher core body temperature, which increases strain on the cardiovascular system. Untreated, dehydration can cause heat stroke.

(For Release On Or After 07/27/07) If you haven’t paid a lot of attention to sunflowers for your garden lately, you may think only of the gigantic sunflowers that reach for their namesake in the sky – towering to heights of 8 feet or more. You also may think they only come in yellow. But the truth is that today’s gardeners have a lot of choices when selecting sunflowers.

(For Release On Or After 07/20/07) When it comes to vegetable gardening in Louisiana, gardeners should take advantage of our year-round growing season. Yes, even in the torrid depths of summer there are delicious, heat-tolerant vegetables you can plant now to keep your garden productive.

(For Release On Or After 07/13/07) I recently came across some poison ivy as I was working in an out-of-the-way area of my landscape. I keep a sharp eye out for this plant, since I’m quite allergic, and I promptly and ruthlessly deal with any as soon as I see it.

(For Release On Or After 07/06/07) One of the great joys of gardening is discovering new and attractive plants that thrive in our climate. An outstanding summer bedding plant called angelonia (Angelonia angustifolia) falls precisely into this category.

(Distributed 07/26/07) The sixth annual LSU AgCenter Dean Lee Research Station Crop Field Day has been scheduled for Aug. 23 at the Dean Lee Research/Extension Livestock facility in Alexandria. The field day will feature tours of research being conducted on soybeans, feed grains, cotton and weed control at the station.

(Distributed 07/31/07) Dr. Don Reed, associate professor at the LSU AgCenter Idlewild Research Station in Clinton, and representatives from the Louisiana Department Wildlife and Fisheries will conduct a seminar on Deer Food Plots and Tagging on Thursday, Aug. 16, at the Dave Means 4-H Center in Grand Cane at 6 p.m.

(Distributed 07/23/07) A poultry workshop for 4-H agents, 4-H’ers, FFA advisers, FFA members and volunteer leaders will be held on Tuesday, July 31, at the LSU AgCenter Hill Farm Research Station in Homer.

(Distributed 07/23/07) The LSU AgCenter is offering educational programs to help people make informed decisions about whether to go into business.

(Distributed 07/23/07) After an exhilarating airboat ride through the marsh, Keith Espadron of Port Sulphur ambled up to the beach, shell fragments crunching under his feet, and gazed out at the muddy shoreline that once was grass-covered marsh. The outing was one of several for 4-H’ers participating in the LSU AgCenter’s Marsh Maneuvers program at the state’s Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge.

(Distributed 07/20/07) Experts confirmed Louisiana’s first infestations of Asian soybean rust in commercial production fields in Central Louisiana this week.

(Distributed 07/20/07) It may be the same place where some kids’ parents or grandparents spent part of their summers, but today’s 4-H Camp certainly isn’t the same.

(Distributed 07/20/07) Don’t bother telling Bethany Edler of Iberia Parish that mules are ornery, stubborn and kick hard. She’s heard it all before – and she can prove you wrong.

(Distributed 07/20/07) Before the winners of the 38th annual Louisiana 4-H and FFA State Horse Show were announced, participants who gathered around acknowledged learning how to win and lose gracefully was something they took away with them after the competition.

(Distributed 07/19/07) The LSU AgCenter’s dairy farm in Baton Rouge recently reached a milestone in Louisiana agriculture when it recorded the highest rolling herd average milk production ever in the state.

(Distributed 07/19/07) One new sugarcane variety released earlier this year and two sugarcane varieties released last year were featured along with three new releases of energy cane at the LSU AgCenter’s Annual Sugarcane Field Day Wednesday (July 18) at its Sugar Research Station.

(Distributed 07/19/07) Two wildlife workshops coordinated by the LSU AgCenter will be held during August in Southwest Louisiana. The workshops will be held Aug. 9 and Aug. 14.

(Distributed 07/18/07) LSU AgCenter scientists who work with rice went on the road in July – meeting with farmers at field days in five parishes. The experts gave reviews of their programs to develop new rice varieties, fight insects, control diseases and improve yields.

(Distributed 07/17/07) David Wilson, a North Louisiana alligator hunter, brought a 2-year-old wild Louisiana gator to a Nature Rangers workshop in Bossier City July 14. The workshop, a cooperative venture between the LSU AgCenter and Bass Pro Shops in Bossier City, was one of several planned for 2007.

(Distributed 07/17/07) LSU AgCenter 4-H agents recently acquired funds to purchase a trailer that will support outdoor skills programs in the Florida Parishes of the state.

(Distributed 07/13/07) A beef cattle nutrition short course presented by the Gulf Coast Beef Education Alliance will be held at the LSU AgCenter’s Red River Research Station in Bossier City on the last Tuesday of the month in July, August, September, October and November.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Results from the second and third days of competition at the 38th annual Louisiana 4-H and FFA State Horse Show on July 11-12 have been released.

(Distributed 07/05/07) One new sugarcane variety released earlier this year and two sugarcane varieties released last year will be featured at the LSU AgCenter’s annual sugarcane field day on July 18 at the Sugar Research Station on Louisiana Highway 30, 11 miles south of Tiger Stadium or 9 miles north of Gonzales in St. Gabriel.

(Distributed 07/13/07) Plaquemines Parish 4-H’ers went to camp and attended 4-H University this summer thanks to a donation from a local company designed to help the youth development program rebuild in the area.

(Distributed 07/12/07) More than half of 135 Louisiana crawfish ponds tested for White Spot Syndrome Virus so far have shown up positive, according to an LSU AgCenter aquaculture expert. “This means it’s much more widespread than anyone thought,” said Dr. Ray McClain, crawfish researcher at the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station.

(Distributed 07/12/07) An LSU AgCenter agent recently received the Merit Award from the American Forage and Grassland Council. Allen Hogan, LSU AgCenter county agent in Jefferson Davis Parish, received the award June 26 at the council’s annual meeting at Penn State University.

(Distributed 07/11/07) Sales of greenhouse tomatoes from the LSU AgCenter’s Red River Research Station’s spring crop are expected to top 65,000 pounds by the end of July – making this the best year ever.

(Distributed 07/11/07) Results from the first day of competition at the 38th annual Louisiana 4-H and FFA State Horse Show on July 10 have been released. Competition continues through July 12. Coordinated by the LSU AgCenter, the event is at the Ike Hamilton Expo Center in West Monroe.

(Distributed 07/10/07) The proposed route of Interstate 69, a new highway that will eventually connect Mexico and Canada, could have a devastating effect on Louisiana’s pecan industry. That is because the proposed route goes right through the LSU AgCenter’s Pecan Research and Extension Station near Shreveport.

(Distribued 07/03/07) Louisiana’s farmers generated more than $855 million in value-added through various crop and animal production activities in 2005, according to a recent report by LSU AgCenter agricultural economist Dr. Matthew Fannin.

Distributed 07/27/07) Louisiana gardeners may be enjoying a second bloom of purple coneflowers this time of year. The perennial plant is one of the most popular in home landscapes.

(Distributed 07/27/07) Kids will make healthy choices, choosing fruits and vegetables over less nutritious foods, when given the chance, according to LSU AgCenter food and nutrition professor Dr. Annrose Guarino.

(Distributed 07/27/07) The first-ever Spanish language companion to the Federal government’s Consumer Action Handbook is now available.

(Radio News 07/09/07) Asian soybean rust has been confirmed on soybeans in Louisiana. The disease was found in three sentinel plots, says LSU AgCenter soybean specialist Dr. David Lanclos. He says growers need to determine how much risk they are willing to take and that recently planted soybeans may require more care. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/06/07) Louisiana corn farmers already have started harvesting some of their crop. The state has an exceptionally large crop this year – more than 700,000 acres. But rainy conditions in Louisiana are making it difficult to keep the harvest moving. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/30/07) Louisiana was spared from hurricanes last year, but that doesn’t mean we should let our guard down this hurricane season. An LSU AgCenter family economist recommends having a "grab and go box" that contains critical information you will need in the event of a disaster. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(TV News 07/30/07) Inner-city youngsters in Baton Rouge are becoming farmers for the summer. While the group is exposed to agriculture, they also are learning other life skills along the way. (Runtime: 1 minute, 28 seconds)

(TV News 07/23/07) Figs are a favored part of Louisiana summers. Many backyards around the state have a fig tree or two, and the homegrown fruit often makes its way into jams and preserves. Although the fresh fruit could fall prey to birds, experts say that overall the trees require little maintenance.

(TV News 07/16/07) Protein is a vital component in the diet, and consumers soon may be able to look to rice to fill part of their protein needs. LSU AgCenter researchers are enhancing the protein content in rice through selective breeding. An important aspect in the research is keeping the other nutrients normally found in rice at their existing levels. (Runtime: 1 minute, 41 seconds)

(TV News 07/09/07) A virus that has affected commercial shrimp for years is now affecting Louisiana crawfish. Officials from several agencies confirmed the existence of White Spot Syndrome Virus in pond-raised and wild crawfish across South Louisiana. Even though the virus can cause significant losses in some ponds, it may not turn out to be devastating to the Louisiana crawfish industry. (Runtime: 1 minute, 49 seconds)

(Radio News 07/30/07) Even though we are two years removed from hurricanes Katrina and Rita, children could still have anxiety during hurricane season. LSU AgCenter family development expert Dr. Diane Sasser advises not waiting until a storm is approaching to talk to your children about hurricanes. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/30/07) Water and electrolytes such as sodium and potassium are important for energy levels. LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames says it’s easy to get the proper amount of water each day. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/30/07) Heat-related illnesses claim several hundred lives each year in the United States. LSU AgCenter nutritionist Dr. Beth Reames says drinking enough fluids can help you avoid dehydration during the hot summer months. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/30/07) Summer often affords families more leisure time than they usually have the rest of the year. LSU AgCenter family development expert Dr. Diane Sasser says family time doesn’t have to be a big vacation. She says plan some "together time" throughout the summer. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/23/07) Figs are popular home fruit trees in Louisiana. Although the fresh fruit can fall prey to birds, overall, the trees require little maintenance, says LSU AgCenter fruit crop professor Dr. Charlie Johnson. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/23/07) Inner-city youngsters in Baton Rouge are becoming farmers this summer. They also got a taste of cooking and landscape architecture. The students from McKinley High School are participating in a McKinely Farmers of Tomorrow Summer Experience. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/23/07) The standard fig tree in Louisiana home landscapes usually is the variety known as Celeste, according to LSU AgCenter fruit crop professor Dr. Charlie Johnson. But the LSU AgCenter is releasing three varieties developed by LSU’s fig breeding program from the 1950s. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/23/07) There are no grocery stores in the neighborhood known as Old South Baton Rouge. But once a week during the summer a farmers market springs up on a local street corner with fresh produce and fresh faces manning the market. The McKinley Farmers of Tomorrow from McKinley High School are growing and harvesting vegetables, running the weekly farmers market and bottling and selling their own hot sauce. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/23/07) Louisiana blueberries pack fresh flavor and are a great source of nutrients. Blueberries are low in calories and high in fiber and can also prevent urinary tract infections. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/16/07) Rice is a staple in many diets, but people might eat even more if it contained more nutrients. LSU AgCenter researchers are attempting to make rice more nutritious by enhancing the protein and amino acid content of rice. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/16/07) LSU AgCenter researchers are enhancing the protein content in rice through selective breeding. Dr. Ida Wenefrida is using conventional lines of rice that typically have around 7 percent to 9 percent protein and increasing the levels to around 12-13 percent. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/16/07) The rice water weevil is the most destructive early-season pest on rice in Louisiana. Pyrethroids are the most widely-used insecticides in rice. LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Michael Stout is evaluating alternatives to the pyrethroids. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/16/07) An LSU AgCenter researcher is looking at how cultural practices in rice influence rice water weevil management. LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Michael Stout also is conducting a long-term study on insect resistance in rice varieties. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/16/07) The Clearfield technology in rice allows farmers to successfully battle weeds known as red rice. LSU AgCenter rice breeders are working on releasing the first medium-grain variety in the Clearfield line. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/09/07) Asian soybean rust appeared early this year in kudzu. The disease now has been found in sentinel soybean plots, too. LSU AgCenter soybean specialist Dr. David Lanclos says this year's appearance of soybean rust in Louisiana came more than a month earlier than last year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/09/07) Rice breeders with the LSU AgCenter continue to work on experimental rice variety lines. One line is an early, semi-dwarf, long-grain variety called LA-2082. LSU AgCenter rice breeder Dr. Steve Linscombe says there is a 20-acre increase of the variety on the station, which has been planted at a low seeding rate. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/09/07) Officials from several agencies confirmed the existence of White Spot Syndrome Virus in pond-raised and wild crawfish across South Louisiana this year -- although the virus is not obvious in some ponds. LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist Dr. Greg Lutz says researchers tested 120 ponds for the virus. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/09/07) In early spring of this year some Louisiana crawfish farmers noticed unexplained deaths of crawfish in their ponds. Researchers determined the crawfish were infected with White Spot Syndrome Virus – a virus that affects many types of crustaceans, says LSU AgCenter aquaculture specialist Dr. Greg Lutz. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(TV News 07/02/07) Louisiana dairy farmers aren't producing as much milk as they were in the early 1980s, but an increase in milk prices isn’t likely to lead to an increase in production. (Runtime: 1 minute, 44 seconds)

(Radio News 07/02/07) Dairy production in Louisiana has been declining for the past 25 years. Dairy farmers are getting older, and young people are not getting into the business. LSU AgCenter dairy specialist Dr. Gary Hay says the price of milk also has hurt the industry. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/02/07) A pigweed species found in cotton may be resistant to the herbicide glyphosate. LSU AgCenter experts saw potential resistance from weeds in a cotton field in Catahoula Parish. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/02/07) The LSU AgCenter has had a dairy farm on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge since 1904, and it has been in its current location since the late 1950s. LSU AgCenter dairy specialist Dr. Gary Hay says the facility has been an integral part of the campus.

(Radio News 07/02/07) LSU AgCenter researcher Dr. Donnie Miller studied co-application of the herbicide Roundup with common cotton insecticides, plant growth regulators and micro-nutrients. Co-application can save farmers multiple trips through their fields, ultimately saving them money and wear and tear on their equipment. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/02/07) Hurricane season is under way, and this year there was even a pre-season tropical storm. LSU AgCenter disaster preparedness specialist Pat Skinner says it is never too early to start preparing for a potential storm. (Runtime: 60 seconds)