This publication tabulates the value of Louisiana agriculture in 2023. Agents and specialists of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, as well as other agencies – both private and public – compiled the data. Their analysis focuses on the animal, forestry, fisheries, plant and wildlife commodities that comprise our vital agricultural industry. Agricultural and natural resource industries contribute significantly to our state’s economy with the potential for increased economic benefits and job creation through value-added processing in urban and rural communities throughout Louisiana.

Each production year has its own set of unique circumstances that help to shape and characterize the year. This was certainly the case this year as drought conditions and excessive heat will be what is most remembered about the 2023 production year. After coming off the 2022 production year that was characterized by historically high input costs and excessive rainfall during much of the harvest season, there was guarded optimism and hope for improved growing conditions and profitability in 2023. Input prices, while still historically high, moderated from the 2022 levels and commodity prices, while down from historically high levels in 2022, were still projected at generally favorable levels. Unfortunately, this optimism quickly changed to concern as drought conditions began to materialize in late spring and persisted throughout the summer and into the fall. Coupled with the drought conditions was excessive heat that added to production challenges. Weather data shows that rainfall totals from May 2023 to October 2023 ranged from 6% to 66% below normal levels, depending on location. Similarly, average daytime high temperatures from May to October ranged from 0.5 to 4.1 F higher than normal levels, again depending on location. The combined stresses caused by the lack of moisture and extreme temperatures had significant impacts on agricultural production in most locations around the state.

In response to the adverse weather conditions, the LSU AgCenter conducted a damage assessment survey and calculated that the economic impact of the drought and excessive heat was over $1.6 billion. While certainly a significant impact to the state’s food and fiber sectors, the full magnitude of those estimated impacts will not be fully represented in the values reported in this publication for a couple of reasons. First, this publication only estimates production and gross revenue from agricultural production. Much of the $1.6 billion estimated impact was associated with increased production costs (increased irrigation costs, increased feeding costs, etc.) which are not represented by the values in this publication. Second, a significant portion of the economic impact to the livestock sector was related to forced liquidations. Forced liquidations, while significant for the long-run sustainability of the livestock operation, show up as increased animal sales in this publication. As such, the gross revenue generated by the livestock sector in 2023 will be, for many species, higher than in previous years. And finally, given the weather difficulties experienced in 2022 and its impact on yields, comparing yields reported in 2023 to those in 2022 may not fully illustrate the drought and heat impacts on 2023 production.

Comparing yields in 2023 for commodities like corn and irrigated cotton does not tell the story of the difficult production conditions in 2023. For both commodities, yields in 2023 were reported at slightly higher levels than 2022. However, when 2023 yields are compared to five-year averages, corn yields in 2023 were roughly 8 bushels an acre lower while irrigated cotton yields were nearly 140 pounds of lint lower. For other commodities like soybeans, hay, nonirrigated cotton, grain sorghum and wheat, yields in 2023 were, in fact, lower than 2022 levels and also were significantly lower than five-year averages. Soybean yields in 2023 were roughly 11 bushels per acre below 2022 levels and nearly 20 bushels per acre below the five-year average. Hay yields were 0.8 tons below 2022 levels and more than 1 ton per acre lower than the five-year average. Nonirrigated cotton yields were nearly 200 pounds per acre lower than 2022 and over 300 pounds per acre lower than the five-year average. Grain sorghum yields were only 1 bushel per acre lower than in 2022 but were roughly 10 bushels per acre lower than the five-year average. And finally, wheat yields were roughly 4 bushels per acre lower than in 2022 and about 2 bushels per acre lower than the five-year average.

The reduction in production compared to the previous year and the five-year average was seen for many but not all commodities. Irrigated commodities, like rice, experienced an increase in yields from 2022 and from the five-year average. While there were significant quality issues for the rice crop in 2023 given the excessive heat, yields were strong and supported by extremely good second crop or ratoon yields across much of southwest Louisiana. And while there were some areas that were devastated by drought conditions, a large portion of the sugarcane growing region of the state received just enough rainfall to support yields. Strong yields in those areas offset the significantly reduced yields in the hardest hit areas resulting in a state average sugar yield that was over 400 pounds higher than the five-year average.

While it is more difficult to see the impacts of the drought and excessive heat on livestock enterprises from the data reported in this publication, 2023 was an extremely difficult year for all operations. Reduced forage and hay production led to forced liquidation, selling animals earlier than normal, and increased feed costs. For example, the percentage of calves sold at below 400 pounds was nearly 3 percentage points higher in 2023 than in 2022, indicating lower growth rates due to drought impacts and producers weaning and selling calves earlier than normal to reduce stress on cows and to preserve limited forage and feed supplies. Similarly, milk production was lower in 2023 as cow stress caused by excessive heat reduced productivity. Finally, for crawfish, the impacts of the adverse weather conditions in 2023 won’t be felt until the 2024 production year. Increased mortality of crawfish seeded in 2023 for 2024 production due to drought and excessive heat will not be reflected until 2024 crawfish production values are reported.

As mentioned previously, there was much optimism and hope for improved profitability in 2023 based on expectations for lower input costs and, despite being lower than the previous year, strong commodity prices. And, for the most part, commodity prices did remain at levels that would have projected acceptable profitability levels at average or above average yields. Unfortunately, the impacts to production and quality from the drought placed considerable pressure on profitability. Again, while prices for major row crop plant enterprises were mostly down from the previous year, they were still well above five-year averages. The largest price reductions were seen for cotton, feed grains, and wheat with an average reduction of nearly 18% from the previous year. Soybean prices were also down in 2023 but at a much more moderate reduction of about 7%. Prices for rice, sugar and hay, however, experienced year over year increases. Rice prices were up nearly 10% on lower global supplies and improving global demand. Sugar prices continued the trend of year over year increases during the last several years and were up by over 11%. Hay prices were up by more than 14% as lower supplies caused by the drought pushed prices higher. Prices for other plant enterprises were mostly mixed. Prices for fruit crops and nursery enterprises were mostly higher in 2023 while prices for vegetable enterprises were mostly unchanged. Prices for pecans were lower in 2023 due to higher global supplies.

Prices for livestock enterprises were mixed for 2023. As with plant enterprises, several prices moderated from the high levels seen in 2022. Prices for milk, poultry, sheep, goats and swine were lower in 2023. Milk prices were down roughly 14% in 2023 while broiler prices and edible egg prices were both down more than 37% as prices moderated from the historically high prices in 2022. Prices for sheep, goats and swine, while down, didn’t see as large a reduction with most prices across the different classes down around 10%. Beef cattle prices, however, were up across all classes in 2023 as lower cattle supplies and continued strong beef demand supported sharply higher prices. Beef cattle prices averaged nearly 35% higher than 2022 across all classes of cattle. And while milk prices were down, prices for dairy cattle were also higher with an average increase of over 30%.

Prices for fisheries and wildlife enterprises were, on average, up roughly 7% in 2023 versus the previous year. Enterprises that saw price improvements included farm raised alligators, oysters, soft-shell crabs, wild caught crawfish, freshwater finfish, fur animals and honey. These commodities saw prices increase from a low of roughly 7% (honey and farm raised alligators) to a high of 55% (fur animals). Enterprises that experienced a price decrease were farm raised crawfish, catfish, shrimp and crabs. Increased production and soften demand due inflationary pressures saw crawfish prices fall about 17% in 2023 and was the lowest level seen since 2008. Catfish prices were roughly 4% lower primarily to higher global supplies. Crab prices were down roughly 5% while shrimp prices were down roughly 21%. In both cases, increased global competition and lower disposable consumer income resulting from inflationary pressures are believed to be primary causes.

While the overall farm gate value of the state’s food and fiber sector decreased by 5.5% over the previous year due to drought and excessive heat impacts and lower commodity prices, 2023’s farm gate value remains as one of the highest levels experienced over the last 20 years. For each of the three broad categories of enterprises (plant, livestock, and fisheries and wildlife), gross farm values decreased in 2023. The total gross farm value for all plant enterprises was down 3.7% from 2022. Despite large year-over-year increases for rice and feed grains, lower production and lower prices for most plant enterprises resulted in reductions in farm gate values from the previous year. Similarly, the total gross farm value for all animal enterprises was down roughly 12% from the previous year. Again, despite a significant increase in farm gate values for cattle and horses due to higher sale volumes and prices in 2023, lower prices resulted in declines for most other animal enterprises. The total gross farm value for fisheries and wildlife enterprises saw a much smaller decrease than the other sectors. Gross farm value was down by less than 1% in 2023 as increases for freshwater and marine fisheries and honey mostly offset declines seen in aquaculture and hunting leases.

When the commodities produced by agricultural producers are cleaned, processed, and packaged at the next stages of the marketing channel, these value-added activities create additional economic activity over and above that defined by the gross farm value. In 2023, these value-added activities were estimated to have an additional economic impact of $5.5 billion. Taken together, the gross farm value and value-added activities were estimated to have a total economic impact of $12.8 billion. This represents a nearly 8% decrease from 2022 but remains as the second largest level in the past 20 years. Given the level of economic activity that the state’s agriculture, forestry and fishery industries continue to generate each year, it is undeniable that they continue to be major contributors to the overall state’s economy. Cutting-edge research programs and extension education and outreach efforts of the LSU AgCenter remain critical to sustaining these economic benefits.

Many Louisiana communities depend on agriculture, forestry, fisheries and wildlife for local jobs and their economic well-being. However, for those who work in it day in and day out, agriculture, forestry and fisheries are far more than a business, a major job contributor and an economic engine. It truly is a way of life. Families have lived on many of these farms, forest lands or fishing villages for generations following a preferred way of life even though it means hard work, many hours, high risks and sometimes low incomes.

Each new production season has risks associated with commodity prices, trade agreements and higher input costs as well as uncertainty related to the weather. These conditions make the discovery and adoption of new agricultural technology developed by the LSU AgCenter more important than ever to our state’s producers. Agriculture is a highly sophisticated segment of the national and world economy, becoming increasingly so every year. That is the reason we at the LSU AgCenter continue to support agriculture and consumers with factual information provided by a well-trained faculty of extension agents, specialists and research scientists.

Those of us in the LSU AgCenter, with its major branches of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service and the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, are proud to be part of Louisiana’s agricultural industry, and we are committed to serving that industry and the citizens across the state of Louisiana in the years ahead.

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