Lafourche 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

Nutrition and Community Health programs currently offered include Canning 101, Nourish to Prevent, Let’s Eat for the Health of It, Healthy Communities, and Break Up with Salt. Programming provided in 2025 reached all Lafourche libraries; all Head Start locations, St. Anne’s hospital, numerous schools, Rouses Markets, Lafourche Parish Government, City of Thibodaux, Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lloyd Wallace Center, Nicholls State University and Lafourche Parish Correctional Complex. This community-based work distributed the monthly Taste of Herbs and Spices monthly samples at all 8 library branches.

4-H Youth Development

The Lafourche Parish 4-H Youth Development Program helps youth become empowered global citizens by fostering growth in head, heart, hands, and health. As the nation’s largest youth organization, Lafourche 4-H meets monthly in all 35 parish schools and the Member-at-Large Club, where students in grades 4–12 practice leadership skills and engage in hands-on lessons promoting healthy choices and personal development. Approximately 850 youth and 200 adult volunteers participate annually in diverse 4-H programs, contests, and camps at parish, regional, state, and national levels, including project clubs, leadership activities, and specialized events like robotics, eSports, and shooting sports.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

Beef cattle producers were able to attend the livestock and forage field day learning more about bull selection, weeds & pasture management, and feeding cattle in the winter. Over 60 beef cattle producers attended a field day on bull selection, pasture management, and winter feeding, with additional services like breeding exams, vaccine clinics, and newsletters offered throughout the year. Sugarcane growers, aquaculture stakeholders, and seafood producers also benefited from workshops, classes, and resources on crop management, product quality, marketing, and coastal conservation.

Whom We Reach

• 124,531 youth (includes 1016 4-H members and 35 school 4-H Clubs)
• 39,609 adults (3,548 through agriculture and natural resources and 21,353 through family consumer sciences)

How We Reach Them

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

Expanding Our Efforts

322 volunteers from 4-H, Master Gardeners, Master Horseman, family and community

Parish Facts

LSU AgCenter agents provide research-based information on plants, aquaculture, wildlife and animal enterprises to Lafourche residents. The total dollar amount from these commodities were: Animal enterprises, $24,101,015; aquaculture and wildlife, $27,495,492; plant enterprises, $65,486,647. Land area — 1,068 square miles; Population —96,790; Population under 18 years old — 22.5%; Population 65 years old and over — 17.7%; Median household income — $63,439; Persons below poverty — 19.4%

Local Issues and Plans for this Year:

Increase productivity and profitability of Louisiana agriculture

• Conduct field days for sugarcane and livestock production
• Assess needs of farmers and producers and develop content & events to meet these needs
• 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

• Deliver the latest research to assist in harvest sustainability, marketing, and product quality assurance
• Provide technical assistance upon request regarding gear installation on shrimp
• vessels, proper water quality and circulation information and suggestions in softshell crab and shedding operations. Sharing research on processing at the dock are a few of the ways the fisheries agent interacts with the fishing community
• Providing all community members with accurate information about nutritional,
• economic and sustainable benefits of consuming domestic seafood

Build leaders and good citizens through 4-H Youth Development

• Monthly lessons from the Health Rocks! curriculum are conducted at club meetings
• Expand programming outside of traditional 4-H programming
• Develop and implement the year’s environmental awareness service-learning project throughout the parish
• Junior Leaders in a collaborative retreat with teens from St. Mary Parish to foster teamwork and identify annual service-learning projects

Strengthen families and communities

• Nutrition and Community Health clients receive training on feeding their families nutritionally on a budget
• Teach nutrition lessons and healthy recipe demonstrations to audiences in the parish
• Increase reach with Family Nutrition Nights across the parish. Expand reach and involvement with Ochsner Health Systems Lunch ‘n Learns and community outreach programs

How is Extension Funded?

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: LSUAgCenter.com