St. Helena 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

Healthy communities are communities where people come together to make their communities better for everyone through collaboration, community ownership, inclusive approaches and long-term, positive commitment to healthy lifestyles. St. Helena Healthy Communities has partnered with several organizations in order to actualize our mission of transforming St. Helena Parish into a Healthier Community.

4-H Youth Development

The St. Helena 4-H program is an informal educational experience for youth. Boys and girls between the ages of nine and nineteen are given opportunities to make new friends, learn new things and possibly go to new places. Youth can develop life skills such as self-esteem, decision making and citizen responsibility to make them positive and contribute to members in their communities. The Cloverbuds program reaches younger members from age four to eight.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

The St. Helena Forestry Association, organized over 20 years ago, is the ‘Voice of Forestry’ in St. Helena Parish. The $22 million industry accounts for approximately 48% of the parish’s Gross Domestic Product. Meeting was held to structure the new ordnance for timber harvesting. Also, St. Helena Cattleman Co., held monthly meeting for new farmers.

Whom We Reach:

• 1,082 youth (includes 100 4-H members and 5 school 4-H Clubs)
• 500 adults (200 through agriculture and natural resources and 300 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:

• 67 volunteers from 4-H, Master Gardeners, cattlemen and forestry landowners.
• Local Issues & Plans for this year.
• High school students will learn money management through the LYFE Literacy program.

Parish Facts:

LSU AgCenter County Agents provide research-based information on plants, aquaculture, wildlife and animal enterprises to St. Helena Parish clientele. The 2018 total dollar amounts from these commodities were:
Plant enterprises - $22,550,420.
Animal enterprises - $32,365,911.
Wildlife Enterprises - $3,240,368.
Land area — 408.40 square miles; Population —10,509; Population under 18 years old — 21.1%; Population 65 years old and over — 19.9%; Median household income — $35,254; Persons below poverty — 26.4%

Local issues and plans for this year

Increase productivity and profitability of Louisiana agriculture

• Conduct Forestry Field Days
• Demonstrate new disease resistant varieties of vegetables
• Write news column, webpage content and seminars on agriculture practices
• Conduct farm and home educational visits
• Monthly meeting, St. Helena Cattlemen Co. management

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

• Youth learn about wetland conservation during the ‘in school’ Wetlands Week program
• Forestry landowners will learn the wise use of Best Management Practices (BMPs) through field days

Build leaders and good citizens through 4-H Youth Development

• Develop and implement service-learning projects throughout the parish
• School and community gardeners will develop community vegetable garden as a community service project, and flower garden to beautify the grounds at the St. Helena Parish Schools
• Introduce agriculture and its importance to youth through Ag Day, Ag Wonders and AgMagic
• Youth and family involvement in livestock shows

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 childrearing.

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