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

Madison Parish is one of twelve parishes with a 40% obesity rate; these parishes are considered high obesity parishes by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The LSU AgCenter facilitates the Madison Parish Healthy Communities Coalition which is a group of community members, partner organizations, and stakeholders that come together to identify barriers to health and work towards solutions to make it easier for residents to make the easy choice. Through the Healthy Communities program, the coalition has identified several ways to make improvements to the built environment of the parish, create avenues to access healthy and nutritious foods, and developed many important partnerships with lawmakers and organizations that serve the area.

4-H Youth Development

The LSU AgCenter offers 4-H programming to youth across the parish. They can participate in school club meetings as well as afterschool clubs such as Shooting Sports, Livestock Team, Cooking/Sewing Club, and Junior Leaders. There are several different workshops held throughout the year on STEM, agriculture and life skills. Several community service projects are held each year to help the local community. Youth are presented with opportunities to learn leadership skills by holding an officer position at the club level, becoming a part of the regional board and/or a position on one of our state boards.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

Madison Parish is the center of the very fertile Mississippi River delta which makes us a very agriculture dependent economy. Producers face constantly changing commodity prices facing constantly increasing costs. This leads to very tight profit margins which we try to help in many ways. Crop production demonstrations, one way we help, includes variety trials and irrigation efficiency at local producers fields. There are also soil fertility trials to promote good stewardship of land and nutrient management. Assisting with livestock, home gardens, and row crop agriculture are just a small part of all the services the Madison Parish Extension Office offers.

Whom we reach:

• 114 youth (4-H Members and 5 school 4-H clubs and a community club)
• Over 1,000 adults in Agriculture and Natural Resources
• 6,851 adults (Population in parish directly affected by coalition interventions)

How we reach them:

• Healthy Communities Coalition Meetings, 4-H Clubs and 4-H Junior Leader Meetings, school enrichment, field days, publications, newsletters, class series, website, social media and workshops
• ANR: field days, emails, newsletters, farm visits

Expanding our efforts:

• 18 volunteers from 4-H

Parish Facts:

The LSU AgCenter provides research-based information on plant, aquaculture, wildlife, and animal enterprises to Madison Parish Residents. The total amount of these commodities was: animal enterprises, $1,870,119; aquaculture and wildlife, $215,224; plant enterprises, $167,234,370. Land area- 624 square miles; Population- 9,246; Population under 18-25.5%; Median Household income- $37,267; Persons below poverty- 34.1%

Local Issues and Plans for this Year:

Increase productivity and profitability of Louisiana agriculture

• Conduct on farm crop variety
• Conduct farm and home educational visits
• Conduct research-based demonstrations and encourage implementation of new practices
• Private Pesticide Applicator Certification

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

Increase productivity and profitability of Louisiana agriculture

• Conduct farm and home educational visits
• Record Podcast, newsletters, record educational videos
• Conduct on farm variety trial and irrigation and moisture sensor demonstration

Build leaders and good citizens through 4-H Youth Development

• Increase youth participation in parish, regional, and state events
• Increase a sense of belonging by establishing common ground, celebrating diversity and creating opportunities to interact and serve others together
• Offer programming and opportunities to develop and enhance leadership skills at the local, regional, and state level (school clubs, after school clubs, camps, workshops, 4-H University, etc.)
• Develop and implement community service and service-learning projects throughout the parish
• Provide opportunities for youth to participate in educational workshops

Strengthen families and communities

• Family Nutrition Program 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

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
• Family and Consumer Sciences