Agricultural economics
Agricultural
economics – Kurt Guidry (225-578-3282,
or cell 225-281-9377) can answer most any question about agricultural
economics, but his specialty is cotton, soybeans, feed grains. He is the ag
economist who compiles the estimates on losses to Louisiana agriculture
following disasters, such as hurricanes, floods and drought. Michael Salassi (225-578-2713) and Michael Deliberto, (225-578-7267), both ag
economists, can answer questions about rice and sugarcane. Deliberto also works in the areas of farm management and farm policy pertaining to cotton, rice and sugarcane.
Animal diseases
Animal diseases – Christine Navarre (225-578-3241) is the extension veterinarian. Phil Elzer (225-578-1938, or cell 225-802-6811), School of Animal Sciences director, can find experts on specific diseases and issues.
Aquaculture
Aquaculture – Greg Lutz (225-765-2848, or cell
225-223-0371), aquaculture extension specialist, can answer questions about
crawfish, fish, oysters and shrimp. (Aquaculture Research Station, Baton Rouge)
Bee safety
Bee safety – Sebe Brown (318-498-1283), an entomologist, can answer questions about bee safety and agricultural use of insecticides in crop production (Winnsboro); Kristen Healy (225-578-2257), entomology researcher, can speak to this issue, too.
Beekeeping
Beekeeping – Keith Hawkins (337-463-7006, or
cell 318-264-2448), forestry agent in Beauregard Parish, works with beekeepers
and helps organize educational meetings for people interested in beekeeping. He
has access to entomologists who are bee experts.
Cattle
Cattle – Regional specialists include: Guillermo Scaglia (337-276-5527) for southwest (Jeanerette); Vince Deshotel (337-948-0561, or cell 337-831-1635) for central (Opelousas); Jason Holmes (318-368-9935, or cell 318-243-4931) for northeast (Farmerville).
Childhood obesity
Childhood obesity – Denise Holston-West (225-578-4573) and Sandra May (225-578-5808), both nutritionists and registered dietitians (Baton Rouge).
Conservation tillage and cover crops
Conservation tillage
and cover crops – Lisa Fultz
(225-578-1344, or cell 225-366-8863), agronomist on the Baton Rouge campus.
Corn
Corn – Matt Foster is the corn, cotton and
grain sorghum extension specialist (318-435-2908) (Scott Research Extension Center, Winnsboro).
Cotton

Cotton –Matt Foster is the state cotton extension specialist (225-621-5799).
Crawfish
Crawfish – Greg Lutz (225-765-2848, or cell 225-223-0371), aquaculture extension specialist (Aquaculture Research Station, Baton Rouge); Mark Shirley (337-898-4335), area aquaculture agent.
Drones in agriculture
Drones in agriculture – Randy Price (318-427-4424, or cell 225-936-7593), agricultural engineer (Dean Lee Research and Extension Center, Alexandria) and Dennis Burns (318-766-3769, or cell 318-267-6709), county agent, St. Joseph, are both studying use of drones in agriculture, also known as UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) or UAS (unmanned aircraft system).
Emerald ash borer
Emerald ash borer
– This invasive pest was detected for the first time in Louisiana in 2015. Rodrigo Diaz (225-578-1835),
entomologist, is part of a team conducting research on control. Nathan Lord (225-578-0425) studies jewel beetles. Both are on the Baton Rouge campus.
Farm labor issues
Farm labor issues
– Kim Pope (cell 225-436-3199), who
is in charge of pesticide application training, can speak about new rules and
regulations for the training of farm workers (Baton Rouge).
Farm-to-table and farm-to-school
Farm-to-table and
farm-to-school – Carl
Motsenbocker (225-578-1036), horticulturist who works with these programs
and with small-farm farmers (Baton Rouge).
Feral hogs
Feral hogs – Glen Gentry (225-683-5848), animal
scientist, conducts research on control of feral hogs (Bob R. Jones-Idlewild
Research Station, Clinton).
Figs
Figs – Jason Stagg (985-543-4125),
horticulturist, is an expert on small fruit, including figs (Hammond Research
Station, Hammond).
Fisheries industry
Fisheries industry
– Fisheries agents include Rusty Gaudé
(504-736-6519, or cell 504-908-9713), for Plaquemines, St. Bernard and Orleans
parishes; Thomas Hymel (337-276-5527,
or cell 337-296-6133), for Iberia, St. Martin, Lafayette, Vermilion, St. Landry
and Avoyelles parishes; Kevin Savoie
(337-905-1318, or cell 337-660-8519), for Cameron and Calcasieu parishes; and Mark Shirley (337-898-4335, or cell
337-296-6864), for Jefferson Davis, Vermilion, Acadia, St. Landry, Evangeline,
Cameron, Calcasieu, Lafayette, Beauregard and Allen parishes. They all have
joint appointments with Louisiana Sea Grant.
Floods and hurricanes
Floods and hurricanes – Claudette Reichel (225-578-4440 or 2378, cell 225-202-6593), director of the LaHouse Resource Center, is the expert on housing resiliency and mold mitigation. Shandy Heil, extension associate, can also do interviews on storm recovery and housing (225-578-4325 or cell 225-603-4090). Other topics: animal safety–horses, Neely Walker (225-578-5338); animal safety–cattle, Christine Navarre; food safety, Wenqing Xu (225-578-3997, or cell 302-229-8499); agricultural economic damage, Kurt Guidry (225-578-3282, or cell 225-281-9377); forage and hay damage and shortages, Ed Twidwell. An expert on hydrology and why and where flooding occurs is Richard Keim (225-252-4994). All are in Baton Rouge.
Food safety
Food safety – Achyut Adhikari (225-578-2529) works
with the food industry and small-farm farmers to help them understand new safety
laws and regulations; Wenqing Xu
(225-578-3997, or cell 302-229-8499) is the consumer food safety specialist. Both are in Baton
Rouge.
Forage and hay
Forage and hay – Ed Twidwell (225-578-4564, or cell
225-281-9448) on the Baton Rouge campus and Wink Alison (cell 318-614-1174) in Winnsboro at the Macon Ridge Research Station.
Forestry
Forestry – Area forestry agents
include Valerie West (318-965-2326) for northwest; Keith Hawkins (337-463-7006, or
cell 318-264-2448) for southwest (DeRidder); Robbie Hutchins (318-427-4424, or
cell 318-308-2995) for central (Alexandria); and Whitney Wallace (985-748-9381) for southeast (Clinton). Luke Stamper (318-744-5442, or cell
318-805-8819) in the Northeast Region (Harrisonburg).
Fruits and vegetables
Fruits and vegetables
– Kiki Fontenot (225-578-2417,
or cell 225-235-9968) is the fruits and vegetables extension specialist
and can answer questions about both commercial and home production (Baton
Rouge).
Grain sorghum
Grain sorghum –Matt Foster is the corn, cotton and
grain sorghum extension specialist (318-435-2908) (Scott Research/Extension Center, Winnsboro).
Grass-fed beef
Grass-fed beef – Guillermo Scaglia (337-276-5527), an
animal scientist at the Iberia Research Station in Jeanerette, conducts
research on growth and expansion of the grass-fed beef industry in Louisiana.
Horses
Horses – Neely Walker (225-578-5338),
extension horse specialist (Baton Rouge).
Horticulture
Horticulture – The
regional coordinators are: Kerry
Heafner (318-323-2251, or cell 864-431-2384) for northeast (West Monroe); Jennifer Williams (318-698-0010) for
northwest (Shreveport); Sara Rogers
Shields (225-638-5533) for central (Pointe Coupee); Stuart Gauthier (337-332-2181) for
southwest (Breaux Bridge). Heather Kirk-Ballard is the consumer horticulture specialist headquartered in Baton Rouge at 225-578-2110
Housing
Housing – The
LaHouse Resource Center on the Baton Rouge campus is a demonstration home
featuring sustainability and storm-resistant features. The director is Claudette Reichel (225-578-4440),
housing specialist.
Hydrology
Hydrology – Richard
Keim (cell 225-252-4994) is an expert on the hydrology of forested wetlands
and watersheds across Louisiana. He is an associate professor in the School of
Renewable Natural Resources in Baton Rouge.
Insect pests (corn, cotton, grain sorghum)
Insect pests (corn, cotton,
grain sorghum) – Sebe
Brown (318-498-1283), entomologist for the northeast region is at the Macon Ridge Research Station,
Winnsboro.
Insect pests (household, lawn and garden)
Insect pests (household,
lawn and garden) – Forest Huval 225-578-1634, entomologist (Baton Rouge).
Insect pests (rice)
Insect pests (rice)
– Michael Stout (cell 225-892-2972),
entomologist (Baton Rouge).
Insect pests (soybean)
Insect pests
(soybean) – Jeff Davis
(cell 225-747-0351), entomologist (Baton Rouge).
Insect pests (sugarcane)
Insect pests (sugarcane) –Blake Wilson (225-642-0224), entomologist
at the Sugarcane Research Station, St. Gabriel.
International trade
International trade
– Michael Deliberto
(225-578-7267), ag economist, can talk about international trade as it relates
to rice and sugarcane.
Irrigation (field crops)
Irrigation (field
crops) – The water quality team at the Red River Research Station, Bossier
City, conduct research and extension programs on irrigation and runoff: Stacia Davis, irrigation engineer; Naveen Adusumilli, ag economist;
Changyoon Jeong, water quality
specialist; Syam Dodla, agronomist.
All can be reached at the office, 318-741-7430. Dodla can also be reached at 225-505-7064 (cell).
Irrigation (horticulture)
Irrigation
(horticulture) – Horticulturists Jeff
Beasley (225-578-1029) and Ed Bush
(225-578-2158) are on the Baton Rouge campus. Stacia Davis (318-741-7430) is at the
Red River Research Station, Bossier City.
Master Farmer program
Master Farmer program
– Donna Gentry (318-613-9278, or cell 318-613-9278) in Alexandria at the Dean Lee Research and Extension
Center, Alexandria, and James
Hendrix (318-766-3769, or cell 318-235-7198) in St. Joseph at the Tensas
Parish extension office.
Mold remediation in housing
Mold remediation in
housing – Claudette Reichel
is an expert on housing resiliency and mold mitigation and can be reached at
LaHouse at 225-578-4440.
Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes – Kristen Healy (225-578-2257, or cell 732-766-0407), medical
entomologist. Healy is an expert on mosquito-borne diseases including West
Nile virus, eastern equine encephalitis and Zika virus.
Nutrition
Nutrition – Denise Holston-West (225-578-4573) and Sandra May (225-578-5808), both nutritionists and registered dietitians (Baton Rouge).
Nutrition (federal programs)
Nutrition (federal
programs) – Carla Verbois
(225-578-048) for SNAP-Ed,
the food stamp program, which stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program Education. Sharman Charles (225-578-1704) for EFNEP,
which stands for the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program.
Oysters
Oysters – Greg Lutz (225-765-2848,
or cell 225-223-0371), aquaculture extension specialist (Aquaculture Research
Station, Baton Rouge) can speak to most any seafood topic. Megan La Peyre, assistant professor (225-578-4180)
Plant disease (soybean, corn, grain sorghum, cotton)
Plant disease (soybean,
corn, grain sorghum, cotton) – Trey
Price (318-435-2157 ext 213, or cell 318-235-9805), is a field crops
pathologist at the Macon Ridge Research Station in Winnsboro.
Plant disease (sugarcane)
Plant disease (sugarcane) – Jeff Hoy (225-578-1392, or cell
225-485-4227) on the Baton Rouge campus.
Plant disease (wheat)
Plant disease (wheat)
– Boyd Padgett
(318-427-4424, or cell 318-614-4354) wheat specialist (Dean Lee Research and
Extension Center, Alexandria).
Plant disease identification
Plant disease identification
– Raj Singh (225-578-4562, or cell
225-747-2367), plant pathologist, is director of the Plant
Diagnostic Center on the Baton Rouge campus.
Poultry
Poultry – Jason Holmes (318-368-9935, or cell
318-243-4931), livestock specialist in the Northwest Region in Union Parish, works
with poultry producers.
Rice
Rice – Dustin Harrell (337-788-7531, or
cell 337-250-3553), rice extension specialist, is an expert on all areas of
rice production; Adam Famosa (337-788-7531), is a
rice breeder and can also answer all questions about rice. Both are at the H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station, Crowley.
Rice insect pests
Rice insect pests – Michael Stout (cell 225-892-2972),
entomologist (Baton Rouge).
Rice weeds
Rice weeds – Eric Webster (cell 225-281-9449),
weed scientist (Baton Rouge).
Shrimp
Shrimp – Greg Lutz (225-765-2848, or cell
225-223-0371), aquaculture extension specialist, can answer questions about
crawfish, fish, oysters and shrimp (Aquaculture Research Station, Baton Rouge).
Strawberries
Strawberries – Kiki Fontenot (225-578-2417, or
cell 225-235-9968), fruits and vegetables extension specialist, can answer
questions about both commercial and home production, including about
strawberries (Baton Rouge campus). Whitney
Wallace (985-748-9381, or cell 985-517-1684) is the extension agent in
Tangipahoa Parish, where most of the state’s strawberry growers are.
Sugarcane
Sugarcane – Kenneth Gravois (225-642-0224, or
cell 225-281-9472), extension sugarcane specialist at the Sugar Research
Station, St. Gabriel.
Sugarcane economics
Sugarcane economics
– Michael Deliberto
(225-578-3282) on the Baton Rouge campus.
Sweet potatoes
Sweet potatoes – Myrl Sistrunk (318-435-2155, or
cell 318-267-6712) for production (Sweet Potato Research Station, Chase); Don La Bonte (225-578-1203) for new
varieties (Baton Rouge campus); Chris
Clark (225-578-1381) for diseases (Baton Rouge campus); Tara Smith (318-435-2903, or cell
318-557-9501), director for the Northeast Region, is a sweet potato expert and can
talk about the industry.
Turfgrass
Turfgrass – Ron Strahan (225-578-4070, or cell 225-229-4070),
weed scientist, works with lawns, gardens and athletic fields to control weeds.
Jeff Beasley (225-578-1029) conducts
research on turfgrass including levee protection. Both are on the Baton Rouge
campus.
Urban trees
Urban trees – Hallie Dozier (225-578-7219) and Valerie West (318-965-2326) are extension forestry specialists. Dozier is on the
Baton Rouge campus, and West is in the northwest region.
Waterfowl
Waterfowl – Kevin Ringelman (225-578-4212), a
waterfowl biologist, can talk about ducks and geese, wildlife management and
ecology (Baton Rouge)
Weeds (corn, grain sorghum, cotton, soybeans)
Weeds (corn, grain
sorghum, cotton, soybeans) – Daniel
Stephenson (cell 318-308-7225), weed scientist (Dean Lee Research and
Extension Center, Alexandria); and Donnie
Miller (cell 318-614-4044), weed scientists (Northeast Research Station,
St. Joseph).
Weeds (lawns, gardens, nurseries)
Weeds (lawns,
gardens, nurseries) – Ron Strahan
(225-578-4070, or cell 225-229-4070), weed scientist, works with lawns,
gardens, nurseries and athletic fields to improve turfgrass and eradicate
weeds.
Weeds (rice)
Weeds (rice) – Eric Webster (cell 225-281-9449),
weed scientist (Baton Rouge).
Weeds (sugarcane)
Weeds (sugarcane)
– Al Orgeron (cell 504-616-4750), extension agent (Lutcher).
Wheat
Wheat – Boyd Padgett (318-427-4424, or cell
318-614-4354) wheat specialist (Dean Lee Research and Extension Center,
Alexandria). Steve Harrison
(225-578-1308, or cell 225-281-9446) conducts research on wheat (Baton Rouge
campus).
Youth development and 4-H
Youth development and
4-H – Todd Tarifa (225-578-2196) department head, and Toby Lepley (225-578-4161) associate vice president. Both can identify 4-H agents and
specialists about specific topics.