St. Tammany 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

4-H Youth Development

St. Tammany Parish 4-H provides youth with opportunities to develop life skills through non-traditional experiential learning activities, programs and school enrichment learning. 4-H has given endless opportunities to work with caring adult volunteers to foster personal growth and become well rounded citizens through the essential elements of 4-H: Belonging, Independence, Generosity and Mastery. The goal of 4-H is to develop citizenship, leadership, responsibility and life skills of youth through experiential learning programs and a positive youth development approach. Though typically thought of as an agriculturally focused organization as a result of its history, 4-H today focuses on citizenship, healthy living and science, engineering and technology programs. The 4-H motto is “To Make the Best Better”, while the slogan is “Learn by Doing”. Youth gain knowledge through their involvement in 4-H by participating in the following activities: 4-H Organizational Club Meetings, 4-H Community Club Meetings, 4-H Before and After School Meetings, 4-H Horse Clubs, 4-H Junior Leadership, 4-H Junior Leadership Conference, LA 4-H Day of Service, 4-H Livestock, 4-H Shooting Sports, 4-H School Gardens, 4-H Portfolios / Project Books, 4-H Service Learning, 4-H Camp, 4-H University, 4-H Challenge Camp, 4-H Achievement Day, 4-H Day at the Capitol, 4-H Night with the Tigers, 4-H Night with the Pelicans, 4-H Pet Show, 4-H Food Fest, Regional Culinary Arts Contest and 4-H Officer / Volunteer Training.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

As citizens continue to settle in St. Tammany Parish, we have more homes which equals more lawns and landscaping. Master Gardeners have been trained to provide homeowner groups, schools and churches with management and maintenance of the grounds and gardens. Several vegetable seminars and educational plant shows provide area residents with their horticulture information. Additionally, forestry continues to play an important interest to St. Tammany Parish. Several schools in St. Tammany participate in school gardens. Extension Agents and Master Gardeners work with students in the gardens as an outdoor classroom that reinforce in-class lesson and grade level expectations.

Sea Grant / Marine Extension

Louisiana's fisheries touch the people of Louisiana every day, providing food, recreation, and employment to all ages in all parts of the state. Louisiana Sea Grant specialists and agents from the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center are dedicated to sustaining these fisheries and their environments. Programming in St. Tammany includes the Shell Wetland Education Program, St. Tammany Parish Adopt a Pond Program, Louisiana Master Naturalist, High Water Mark Education Program, Pond Workshops and Consultations.

Whom We Reach:

  • 68,736 youth (4-H Clubs, School Enrichment, Character Education, Livestock, Shooting Sports, Adopt a Pond Programming)
  • 47,327 adults (Ag & Natural Resources, Master Gardeners, Home Visits, News Articles and Publications)

How We Reach Them:

4-H School Clubs, 4-H Before and After School Club, 4-H Community Clubs, 4-H Homeschool Clubs, 4-H Project Clubs, 4-H School Gardens, Master Gardener Training Class, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TeamReach, Seminars, Demonstrations, Newsletters, Publications, Livestock Clinics, 4-H Shooting Sports Practices & Classroom Instruction, Field Days and Home Visits

Expanding Our Efforts:

550 volunteers from 4-H Club Leaders, 4-H Livestock, 4-H Shooting Sports, 4-H Junior Leadership, FCS, Marine Extension / Fisheries and Master Gardeners

Parish Facts:

LSU AgCenter agents provide research-based information on plant, aquaculture, wildlife and animal enterprises to St. Tammany Parish residents. The total dollar amount from these commodities were: Animal Enterprises, $49,567,421; Fisheries and Wildlife, $16,227,298; Plant Enterprises, $41,351,676

Land Area — 1,124 square miles; Population —275,583; Population under 18 years old — 23%; Population 18 to 64 — 58%; Population 65 years old and over — 19%; Median Household Income — $76, 420; Persons Below Poverty — 13%

Local Issues and Plans for this Year

Increase Productivity and Profitability of Louisiana Agriculture

  • Conduct spring and fall garden seminars for home gardeners
  • Conduct farm and home visits
  • Write news column, web page content and seminars on agriculture practices
  • Visit local commercial vegetable and small fruit farms

Build Leaders and Good Citizens through 4-H Youth Development

  • Develop and implement service-learning projects throughout the parish
  • Develop life skills, character and knowledge through the 4-H Livestock Program
  • Provide youth with social development opportunities
  • Provide youth with leadership development opportunities
  • Assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills and forming attitudes so they may become self-directing, productive and contributing members of society through the Shooting Sports Program
  • Increase a sense of belonging by establishing common ground, celebrating diversity and creating opportunities for the inner-city and rural youth to interact and serve others together
  • Expand communication efforts to general public about opportunities in the 4-H Youth Development program
  • Promote agriculture awareness and careers in agriculture

Promote the Wide Use of Natural Resources and Protection of the Environment

  • Work with parish schools to continue the Adopt a Pond program
  • Continue to expand the Shell Wetland Education Program which offers young people an opportunity to learn about wetlands and the environment through a hands-on approach
  • Work with local area fisheries

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
  • Nutrition and Community Health

Innovate . Educate . Improve Lives

The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture

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