(Distributed 06/24/11) BATON ROUGE, La. – Members of 4-H clubs from across Louisiana were named state winners and alternates in 43 contests on June 23 at the closing session of the LSU AgCenter’s 4-H University.
(Distributed 06/13/11) CROWLEY, La. – The LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station will hold its annual field day on June 30 to showcase the facility’s work.
(Distributed 06/7/11) Opening the Morganza and Bonnet Carre spillways to divert Mississippi River waters has caused concern that Asian carp could move from the Mississippi River into other Louisiana waters.
(Distributed 06/30/11) ST. JOSEPH, La. – More than 100 people attending the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station field day June 28 were told the importance of identifying pests, diseases and weeds in their crops at the annual event that featured soybean, cotton and corn production.
(Distributed 06/06/11) The LSU AgCenter is working with the New Orleans African American Museum to establish their landscape.
(Distributed 06/09/11) Brooks Blanche, a plant breeder and crop specialist with the LSU AgCenter, was presented with the 2011 Early Career Award by the National Association of Plant Breeders at their annual meeting in College Station, Texas, in May.
(Distributed 06/06/11) ST. JOSEPH, La. – The annual pest management and crop production field day at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station in St. Joseph will be held Tuesday, June 28, at 9 a.m.
(Distributed 06/22/11) During a 25-year period, many bird species in Brazilian rainforest fragments that were isolated by deforestation disappeared and then reappeared according to a research paper published June 22 in PLoS One, an online, peer-reviewed journal.
(Distributed 06/06/11) Aquatic farmers and others who have problems with aquatic birds now have a source for a machine that can chase birds off ponds and similar water bodies. Mt. Pelia Innovative Solutions of Martin, Tenn., recently acquired a non-exclusive license from the LSU AgCenter for a floating robot designed to frighten birds away from crop ponds.
(Distributed 06/28/11) Ways to enhance tourism resources and create new ones in rural areas in Louisiana and Mississippi will be featured at the 2011 Miss-Lou Regional Tourism Summit Aug. 9-11 at the Jason Lingo Center in Oak Grove, La.
(Distributed 06/10/11) Students at the LSU University Laboratory School are learning about keeping lakes clean with rain gardens and how to eat better with their vegetable garden.
(Distributed 06/02/11) FENTON, La. – Farmers at the Southwest Louisiana Rice Field Tour on June 1 were told their rice crops could be affected by drought if they’re not mindful of water levels in their fields.
(Distributed 06/24/11) John Russin has been named the new vice chancellor for the LSU AgCenter and director of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station. He has been serving as the interim vice chancellor since January 2011, when the previous vice chancellor, David Boethel, retired.
(Distributed 06/07/11) LAKE ARTHUR, La. – Rice farmers frustrated with increasing salt water in their irrigation canals filled a meeting hall June 3 to hear what could be done about the problem.
(Distributed 06/29/11) CROWLEY, La. – Representatives of the Kellogg Co. and Walmart saw firsthand June 23 how Louisiana rice farmers are using sustainable agricultural practices to produce a crop profitably in an environmentally friendly manner.
(Distributed 06/16/11) Interest in biodiesel is growing, and people are flocking to classes to learn how to make used vegetable oil into fuel.
(Distributed 06/02/11) With improved health on the minds of many Americans, right now is a good time to discover how important blueberries are in maintaining good health, according to LSU AgCenter nutrition specialist Heli Roy.
(Distributed 06/30/11) SHREVEPORT, La. – A Brazilian weevil that feeds on giant salvinia is a biological control for the invasive species that has been taking over water bodies in Louisiana since it was first discovered in the state in the Toledo Bend reservoir in 1999.
(Distributed 06/17/11) Though there are no repellents or poisons registered for armadillo control, there are several options for those plagued by this nuisance animal.
(Distributed 06/09/11) CROWLEY, La. – An Acadia Parish field day covering research in rice and soybean production has been scheduled for June 15 at the South Farm of the Rice Research Station south of Crowley.
(Distributed 06/20/11) High-speed Internet connections are on the way to rural areas of Louisiana, and the LSU AgCenter will soon begin preparing rural residents for its arrival.
(Distributed 06/17/11) SHREVEPORT, La. – Ninety pecan growers from seven states gathered at the LSU AgCenter’s Pecan Research and Extension Station field day on June 16 to hear about the latest information on how to have successful production.
(Distributed 06/13/11) An estimated 600 youth from across Louisiana will compete in the 42nd annual Louisiana 4-H and FFA State Horse Show July 5-9 in West Monroe.
(Distributed 06/16/11) Louisiana beef producers overwhelmingly voted to continue a 50-cents-per-head assessment on all cattle marketed in Louisiana for the next five years, according to LSU AgCenter officials.
(Distributed 06/22/11) BATON ROUGE – Interested gardeners braved hot temperatures to hear the latest research-based information at the LSU AgCenter Burden Research Center field day on June 18.
(Distributed 06/14/11) KENTWOOD. La. – Louisiana dairy farmers say this was beginning to look like the year they would make a little money, but now they are not so sure.
(Distributed 06/16/11) CROWLEY, La. – Even though rainfall has been sparse, rice fields could still be afflicted by disease normally associated with a wet year, according to Don Groth, LSU AgCenter plant pathologist. He told farmers at the Acadia Parish Rice and Soybean Field Day that he has found sheath blight and leaf blast in fields.
(Distributed 06/20/11) The drought and heat are turning out to be more of a problem for Louisiana farmers than the flood. Although it’s too early to predict the effects on crop yields and livestock production, 2011 is definitely not going to be as good as 2010.