Franklin Parish Profile

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

Nutrition and Community Health - (NCH)

The LSU AgCenter’s Nutrition and Community Health programs provide innovative solutions that strengthen healthy habits and community engagement. Highlights include the Eat Fit initiative at Magnolia Café in Crowville, which promotes healthier dining options; nutritious and cooking workshops for at-risk youth, designed to build lifelong skills and confidence in preparing balanced meals; and programs for special needs adults, focusing on gardening and creating simple, healthy snacks to encourage independence and well-being.

4-H Youth Development (4-H)

In 2025, 4-H Youth Development emphasized life skills, career readiness, financial literacy, and community involvement. Programs are supported by volunteers and sponsors like the Northeast Louisiana Power Cooperative. Our 4-H program celebrates achievements such as a parish service project completed by one of our 4-H members. Our after-school sewing, shooting sports, and livestock clubs provide hands-on experiences that foster growth and leadership among members. This year reflects the dedication of 4-H youth and leaders in shaping future-ready individuals.

Agriculture and Natural Resources (ANR)

The Franklin Parish gross farm value in 2024 was $213,807,190. In 2025, field corn was the crop with the most planted acres. Franklin Parish still leads the state in field corn acres planted. Beef cattle are our major animal enterprise. Specialty enterprises include pecans, sweet potatoes, one dairy, and catfish. Core block variety demonstrations with corn, cotton and soybean are conducted on producer’s farms to provide unbiased information on variety performance. Provided private pesticide applicator and Worker Protection Standard (WPS) training. Presentations on agriculture production and economics were given to local civic organizations.

Whom We Reach:

737 youth and 938 adults at Head Start and Council on Aging, community events, KidChef, TeenChef, Summer Kids Camps and programming, and Healthy Communities Coalition members.302 club members represented ten school clubs, after-school Jr. Leader, Sewing and Shooting Sports clubs.837 agriculture producers and home gardeners.

How We Reach Them

4-H Clubs, school enrichment, field days, publications, newsletters, class series, websites, social media, and workshops, office walk-ins, home and farm visits.

Expanding Our Efforts:

86 volunteers from 4-H, NCH, and ANR (Advisory Leadership Councils, 4-H school club leaders, after-school club leaders, ANR cooperators).

Parish Facts:

Franklin Parish covers 414,000 acres with 55 percent in agriculture production. The LSU AgCenter agriculture extension agent provides research-based information on plants, aquaculture, wildlife and animal enterprises to Franklin Parish residents. The 2024 total dollar amount from these commodities were: Animal enterprises, $26,347,920; aquaculture and wildlife, $18,034,677; and plant enterprises, $169,424,593. Land area: 624.30 square miles; Population: 19,590; Population under 18 years old: 25%; Population 65 years old and over: 19%; Median household income: $44,103; Persons below poverty: 25.6%.

Local Issues and Plans for this Year:

Increase productivity and profitability of Louisiana agriculture

• Conduct commodity production meetings, crop variety and related on-farm demonstrations, and work closely with commodity groups and farm organizations
• Use regular mail, email distributions, Web page content, newsletters, and write articles for local newspapers to disseminate timely information and publications
• Make farm and home educational visits
• Provide crop soil fertility information and irrigation water efficiency and regulations.

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

• Conduct training for private pesticide applicators and agricultural workers

Build leaders and good citizens through 4-H Youth Development.

• Develop and implement service-learning projects throughout the parish
• Encourage youth to participate in parish, regional and state events, workshops, and contests to have new experiences and meet new people

Strengthen families and communities

• Provide education on food safety, and healthy lifestyle changes for better health.
• Build Healthy Communities Coalition as an important part of the mission of the NCH team in Franklin Parish. Coalitions work towards implementing Policy, Systems, and Environmental (PSE) changes throughout the parish to make it a healthier place to live, work, and play.
• Focus NCH Team efforts on every parish demographic, working with pre-k students, their parents, and Senior Adult groups at the Council on Aging.
• Rural communities need guidance in navigating grant opportunities for connectivity projects. The NCH team in Franklin Parish has worked with many of the small towns in the parish to help them with their initiatives in obtaining funding for large scale projects.

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

For the latest research-based information on just about anything, visit our website: www.LSUAgCenter.com