About the LSU AgCenter

The LSU AgCenter is dedicated to providing innovative research, information and education to improve people’s lives. Working in a statewide network of parish extension offices, research stations and academic departments, the LSU AgCenter helps Louisiana citizens make the best use of natural resources, protect the environment, enhance agricultural enterprises, and develop human and community resources.

Program Highlights

4-H Youth Development

Allen has over 460 youth enrolled in 21 traditional 4-H clubs having an active club in all parish public schools. The Allen Parish 4-H Youth Development program strives to build youths’ feelings of belonging through experiential learning opportunities. During the club year, strategies are utilized to build a sense of connection among club members, their peers, adult volunteers, leaders, and 4-H faculty. We offer club meetings, various contests, officer training, shooting sports, award trips, 4-H camps, workshops, livestock projects and junior leadership club.

Agriculture & Natural Resources

Rice and soybean producers are provided with information on production and pest management recommendations to maximize crop performance. Through e-mails, rice field days, newsletters, producer meetings, and farm and home visits. Recommended pesticide storage, use, transport, and application procedures are taught through re-certification programs for private applicators. Homeowners and gardeners are kept informed of LSU AgCenter recommendations on insect disease and management practices through web sites, farm home visits, newsletters, and bulletins.

Nutrition and Community Health

Currently, Helping Hands food pantry staff and volunteers expressed concern that box recipients had difficulty utilizing some items in their boxes. Snap Agent, Lori Marto addressed the concern by distributing recipes to ensure that all food box recipients create healthy, delicious meals from all the food box items that they receive. The recipe of the month has reached over 200 Helping Hands recipients, who look forward to trying and sharing the recipe.

Whom We Reach:

• 2678 - Youth (includes 463 4-H members & 21 school 4-H clubs),
• 19,589 - Adults, (5,952 through agriculture and natural resources and 13,637 through family consumer sciences)

How We Reach Them:

4-H Clubs, school enrichment, field days, publications, newsletters, class series, websites, social media and workshops

Expanding Our Efforts:

300 volunteers from 4-H, family, and community. 75 youth volunteers.

Parish Facts:

Allen Parish is located in Southwest Louisiana. There are three major towns in the mostly rural parish: Kinder, Oberlin, and Oakdale. LSU AgCenter parish agents provide research-based information on multiple commodities. The total dollar amount from these commodities were: Forestry, $33,931,242; Agronomic Crops, $19,646,765; Animal enterprises, $10,703,687; Crawfish production, $8,498,114.

Land area — 775 square miles; Population —22,112; Population under 18 years old — 23%; Population 65 years old and over — 15.1%; Median household income — $51,138; Persons in poverty — 20.1%

Local Issues and Plans for this Year:

Increase productivity and profitability of Louisiana agriculture

• Conduct sugarcane field day
• Conduct master vegetable field day
• Write news columns, webpage content and seminars on agriculture practices
• Conduct farm and home educational visits

Promote the wide use of natural resources and protection of the environment

• Before and after hurricane tree care seminars
• Acorns of Hope coastal tree plantings
• Develop a comprehensive tree management plant and tree best management practices plan for guidelines of trees on public property
• Organize and present four storm surge modeling programs in the parish
• Conduct Coastal Roots program with coastal schools and 4-H youth to grow native grasses and mangrove trees

Build leaders and good citizens through 4-H Youth Development

• Develop and implement service-learning projects throughout the parish
• Plant live oaks with Acorns of Hope for storm surge protection on coastal areas
• Junior Leaders will work with CASA, character education projects and fashion club members on promoting youth development activities

Strengthen families and communities.

• Nutrition and Community Health clients receive training on feeding their families nutritionally on a budget
• Conduct workshops on disaster preparedness, grab and go boxes, storm cleanup and house cleaning after a storm
• Teach classes to pregnant women or parents of infants to strengthen parents’ understanding of child-rearing

How is Extension Funded?

• Federal funding from the USDA/ NIFA
• State general funds from the Louisiana Legislature
• Local support from parish government, including police juries and school boards
• Self-generated funds

What Role Do You Play?

Our stakeholders at the parish level are the local supporters and beneficiaries of the LSU AgCenter cooperative extension programs. Their support keeps these critical programs in their communities.

Each Parish Offers Programming In:

• 4-H and Youth Development
• Agriculture and Natural Resources
• Nutrition and Community Health