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The 2023 growing and production season will likely go down as one of the driest and hottest seasons ever experienced.
This report provides preliminary estimates of the cumulative adverse effects to Louisiana's Agricultural Sector resulting from drought conditions.
Unfortunately, hurricane season does not end with the busy start of school each fall. There are LSU Ag Center on-line resources available to aid you in planning and preparing your family.
Steps to take to file an insurance claim following a disaster.
A flood-damaged building requires special attention to avoid or correct a mold population explosion.
Disinfecting a well can sometimes be done by the well owner; however, for some wells it can be difficult to get the disinfectant into the well or other parts of the system that need disinfecting. If professional help is not available for cleaning the well, follow these procedures.
The phrase “wet floodproofing” may sound like a contradiction, but it is the label used to refer to a collection of methods intended to reduce damage to a building when flooding occurs. This publication explains how wet floodproofing lets water into the building but protects the structure, contents and building systems independently. (PDF format only)
Hiring a qualified contractor for mold remediation is not required but generally is safer and more effective than a "do-it-yourself" approach because of the use of specialized equipment. In either case, you should carefully follow safety precautions to reduce exposure to mold. This publication provides guidance on safe and effective mold remediation practices and how to select a qualified remediation professional.
Guidelines to help you safely and effectively clean and restore your damaged home.
Frequently asked questions about flooded home restoration, and science based answers to help owners and contractors make informed decisions.
A flood-damaged home needs special care to remove mold safely and effectively.This fact sheet provides do-it-yourself mold cleanup steps.Pub 2949-B
After Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana on August 29, 2005, the AgCenter quickly began to assess the damage caused to the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries. Since those initial estimates, the AgCenter has refined its projections and now pegs the total economic impact due to losses in revenue and additional production costs at slightly over $1.0 billion.
It's best to get professional cleaners to work on carpets and floors, but this may not be possible. In any case, begin cleanup as soon as possible.
Whenever a disaster strikes, volunteers are often the first to respond. Because the needs vary with each disaster, volunteers must be flexible in responding to a disaster. This document helps prepare volunteers to work with disaster victims as well as meet the needs that arise as a result of the disaster.
The LSU AgCenter soon will begin comprehensive tests for salt contamination in areas of Vermilion Parish hit by Hurricane Rita’s storm surge, but officials this week said the problem may not be as bad as originally feared.
Certain insect problems increase dramatically after flooding, windstorms and other disasters, according to entomologists with the LSU AgCenter.
When disaster strikes, people everywhere want to help those individuals in need. To ensure that this compassion and generosity are put to good use, it’s important to know what stages victims go through disaster recovery.
Sound stewardship of urban and community trees includes employing the services of arborists to help maintain their health and vitality. This article provides the homeowner tips on finding and hiring a tree care professional for your residential tree care needs.
Cattle, goats, horses, pigs and sheep surviving Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita are vulnerable to several diseases, including infectious diseases and toxicities, according to a veterinarian with the LSU AgCenter.
Farmers attending workshops in Acadia and Calcasieu parishes Tuesday (Oct. 25) learned about assistance for dealing with hardships caused by two hurricanes that struck the state this summer. Similar sessions, organized by the LSU AgCenter, were planned for New Iberia, Hammond and Raceland over the next few days.
The basic steps to make sure your well water is safe is have your water tested at a certified lab, find out if those test results indicate a health risk and if there is a health risk, what needs to be done.
The secret to mildew prevention is two words -- clean and dry.
Aftera Disaster - Lesson Plan for youth Educators sometimes feel unprepared when new students arrive as a result of disaster they experience, and current students sometimes have difficulty feeling empathy for the new transfer students. This lesson plan can be used with groups of youth in junior high and high school who need guidance in dealing with a change in their social environment, i.e., their school, following a disaster or even after positive changes in their life situation.
AgCenter employees pitch in at the Baton Rouge River Center, which is housing 6,000 refugees from Hurricane Katrina.
Disasters can produce lots of stress in peoples' lives. This information provides steps supported by research that individuals can take to manage their stress.
Parents can help their children to cope with disasters. There are actions parents can take that will help. This information features tips that parents can use during and following a disaster.
It’s not necessary to buy all the equipment you need for your lawn and garden – especially for short-term use like storm cleanup.
Many lawnmowers, string trimmers, leaf blowers, and other lawn and garden equipment with small engines were inundated during the flooding from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. In many cases, that equipment can be salvaged.
This report summarizes the estimated damage caused by excessive rains in September and October 2009.
This fact sheet provides basic steps for homeowners and volunteers to use in safely cleaning up mold in their homes and preventing its regrowth. It is focused on mold resulting from flooding but is applicable to other causes as well. (PDF Format Only)
The pecan industry in the state was extremely hard hit by Hurricane Gustav.
Louisiana’s sweet potato harvest had not really begun before the storm – with only a few producers conducting any part of their harvest.
Commercial timber and forest damage associated with Hurricane Gustav in 2008 was neither as widespread nor as acute as was damage associated with Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005.
Only a small percentage of the state’s soybean crop was harvested prior to Hurricane Gustav, and damage to the crop so far is estimated at more than $115 million or nearly 28 percent of this year’s anticipated value.
Most of the state’s corn crop was harvested prior to Hurricane Gustav, but damage still is $45.8 million or nearly 11 percent of the crop value.
Estimates of losses to Louisiana agriculture, forestry and fisheries resulting from Hurricane Gustav and Hurricane Ike now place the totals as high as $950-plus million and climbing. The totals include up to $763 million in lost revenue to Louisiana farmers, ranchers, foresters and fishers, as well as another $175 million to $200 million in damage to the industries’ infrastructure – farm equipment, barns, processing facilities and so forth.
The link below takes you to the USDA-FSA Disaster Assistance Page which lists information and links to all current USDA disaster assistance programs.
Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture Dr. Mike Strain toured the state to assess the Hurricane Gustav damage to agriculture. This presentation is a result of his tour and was presented to a joint Agriculture Task Force at Louisiana Farm Bureau on September 11, 2008.
After more than two weeks of poor weather from Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, Louisiana is assessing the impacts on agriculture and the effects are quickly adding up.
Farmers attending workshops in Acadia and Calcasieu parishes Tuesday (Oct. 25) learned about assistance for dealing with hardships caused by two hurricanes that struck the state this summer. Similar sessions, organized by the LSU AgCenter, were planned for New Iberia, Hammond and Raceland over the next few days.
Cattle producers along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast are still rounding up their herds, and they are desperate for feed, hay and water for their cattle displaced by Hurricane Rita. The animals have been forced to high ground where little forage remains.
The dollar amounts, which are estimates of reduced revenue and increased costs, are broken down by storm and commodity. Total estimated costs are also provided.
At present, hundreds of Louisiana cattlemen and thousands of cattle need help. Find out how to help and what to donate.
Based on the information known at the time of the storm, and given the historical value of these industries to the state, the AgCenter was able to provide preliminary estimates on losses of revenue due to production losses.
The salt water that washed over coastal areas in Southwestern Louisiana during Hurricane Rita could greatly affect next year’s rice crop. LSU AgCenter agronomist Dr. Gary Breitenbeck says the high salinity levels in rice fields could lead to decreased yields. (Radio News 12/12/05)
The LSU AgCenter soon will begin comprehensive tests for salt contamination in areas of Vermilion Parish hit by Hurricane Rita’s storm surge, but officials this week said the problem may not be as bad as originally feared.
Hurricanes Rita and Katrina were not good for the already struggling Louisiana sugarcane industry, but the storms did not do as much damage as growers first anticipated. (TV News 12/12/05. Runtime: 1 minute 25 seconds)
Salt water flowed into sugarcane fields during Hurricane Rita, but the layout of a sugarcane field can be beneficial in ridding the field of salt. LSU AgCenter agronomist Dr. Gary Breitenbeck explains. (Radio News 12/12/05)
After Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana on August 29, 2005, the AgCenter quickly began to assess the damage caused to the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries. Since those initial estimates, the AgCenter has refined its projections and now pegs the total economic impact due to losses in revenue and additional production costs at slightly over $1.0 billion.
Louisiana’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries have been and continue to be severely affected by Hurricane Katrina. Several USDA programs can help agricultural farmers and ranchers begin their recovery from hurricanes.
The dollar amounts, which are estimates of reduced revenue and increased costs, are broken down by storm and commodity. Total estimated costs are also provided.
South Louisiana rice fields contaminated with salt from Hurricane Rita’s storm surge have shown some improvements, although not as much as expected, and salinity levels actually have increased in some sugarcane fields.
Vermilion Parish rice farmer David Lacour emerged from a rice bin recently, covered in sweat and dust.
A breeze is blowing through storm-beaten pecan trees in Ben Littlepage’s 300-acre orchard near Colfax. The trees are almost leafless, and there’s about a handful of pecans left on one very large native tree.
If the structure in which you live is damaged by a disaster, your landlord has a legal obligation to make needed repairs so the premises are useable. A summary of post-disaster repair, rent, lease, and personal property information is provided.
After a disaster, if personal items and furnishings have been lost, rent-to-own purchase contracts may seem like a quick and easy option for replacements. Get the facts.
After a disaster, many poeple are surprised to find out what their homeowner's insurance policy does and does not cover. Important tips are offered.
What homeowners can do if they are having difficulty paying their mortgage following a disaster.
Disasters often bring an influx of con artists. Consider these tips to protect yourself and your money.
A sudden reduction in family income due to a disaster can be financially and emotionally traumatic. Hardships can be reduced by taking positive action.
Tips to restore flood or water damaged books, documents and papers after a disaster.
A report that illustrates the LSU AgCenter's response to the devastation of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Sound stewardship of urban and community trees includes employing the services of arborists to help maintain their health and vitality. This article provides the homeowner tips on finding and hiring a tree care professional for your residential tree care needs.
If you rent or lease an apartment, house or business building and the structure is damaged in a natural disaster, read your lease carefully to determine what you need to do regarding damages, terminating the lease, securing temporary housing and other matters.
The following steps should be taken to file an insurance claim for disaster damage to your home.
Although your policy may not cover flood damage to your home, it does offer some protection from loss caused by natural disasters, such as hurricanes.
Natural disasters often bring an influx of con artists looking for ways to take advantage of the suffering and confusion. Consider these tips to protect yourself and your money.
These tips will help you benefit from your good credit and to ensure that your credit record is not harmed in the wake of disaster.
After taking a firsthand look at the needs of New Orleans, officials with investment banking firm Goldman Sachs decided to lend some helping hands plus cash to the recovery effort.
Hurricanes put a lot of limbs and whole trees on the ground and Louisianians readily jump to the cleanup effort.
When disaster strikes, people everywhere want to help those individuals in need. To ensure that this compassion and generosity are put to good use, it’s important to know what stages victims go through disaster recovery.
Louisiana’s fisheries resources affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita will benefit from fisheries restoration funding in the 2006 Federal Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, according to state officials.
Flashbacks, feelings of grief or depression and other symptoms can be attributed to the anniversary of a traumatic event such as the loss of a loved one, an accident or a natural disaster. LSU AgCenter family life professor Dr. Diane D. Sasser expects many people will suffer the "anniversary effects" of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Some lawns were lost to the flood waters and some were only hurt in spots. Dead areas will have to be replanted, or a weed patch will result. Some forethought before planting may save time, effort and money.
In addition to restoring buildings and replacing material possessions during the recovery period, victims may need to devote time to getting their stress level under control.
The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) links Extension educators from across the United States and various disciplines, enabling them to use and share resources to reduce the impact of disasters.
An ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure when it comes to building homes that stand in the path of a hurricane. Stronger and smarter is the message building specialists are sending to builders and homeowners. (TV News 1/2/06. Runtime: 1 minute 34 seconds)
Construction continues on the LSU AgCenter’s showcase home, the Louisiana House Home and Landscape Resource Center. The special features of the structure could influence techniques and components used to rebuild hurricane-damaged areas. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06).
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita exposed how vulnerable standard buildings can be to powerful storms. A lesson from these storms is to build stronger and smarter, the experts say. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06)
Representatives with the U.S. Department of Energy toured the LSU AgCenter’s showcase home, known as LaHouse, and said this structure shows what homeowners can do to streghten their homes and make them more efficient. Runtime: 60 seconds. (Radio News 1/9/06)
Louisiana residents can learn how to operate chainsaws more safely through workshops offered by the LSU AgCenter.
LSU AgCenter coastal resources agent Mark Shirley had hoped to bring a group of students back to a plot near Holly Beach where they had planted marsh grass during the 4-H Marsh Maneuvers program in July. But, after driving for several miles on La. 82 between Holly Beach and Johnson’s Bayou last weekend, Shirley gave up on his hope to find the transplanted grass, which apparently fell victim to Hurricane Rita’s wrath.
Hurricane season is over, but the hardships from it are lingering into the holidays. Many Louisiana residents endured financial hardships this year, and LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker says holiday budgets may be tight for many.
Winter is the perfect time to prune trees so they will be healthy and better able to resist storm damage, according to experts with the LSU AgCenter.
Stories are hitting the media saying bleach doesn’t work in mold cleanup and prevention. An LSU AgCenter expert says there are reasons for some of the confusion but that bleach is effective at killing mold.
Landscapes damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita can be revitalized. LSU AgCenter horticulturist Dan Gill talks about what can be done to repair the damage.
(TV News For 11/21/05) Added safety measures can make a difference on a home when a storm threatens. The proof stands on a corner lot in a development in Plaquemines Parish.
Neighbors nicknamed Warren Lawrence’s home in Plaquemines Parish Fort St. Lawrence. Lawrence added special features to his home such as walls constructed of insulated concrete form. His home is outside of levee protection and vulnerable to storms.
Individuals who lost work due to recent hurricanes may qualify for disaster unemployment assistance, according to LSU AgCenter family economist Dr. Jeanette Tucker.
Citrus trees that survived hurricane damage may have lost significant amounts of foliage. These trees could experience a strong flush as they start their own healing process. This is very important because new foliage will provide nutrients needed for winter survival and faster tree recovery. Producers must implement practices to protect from additional leaf loss which can be caused by the citrus leafminer.
Preliminary estimates of damage to Louisiana commodities caused by Hurricane Rita so far total $507 million, according to an LSU AgCenter report.
After Hurricane Katrina made landfall in Louisiana on August 29, 2005, the AgCenter quickly began to assess the damage caused to the agriculture, forestry, and fisheries industries. Since those initial estimates, the AgCenter has refined its projections and now pegs the total economic impact due to losses in revenue and additional production costs at slightly over $1.0 billion.
The dollar amounts, which are estimates of reduced revenue and increased costs, are broken down by storm and commodity. Total estimated costs are also provided.
The capacity of plants to grow satisfactorily in salty conditions depends on a number of interrelated factors. The physiological condition of the plant, its stage of growth, and its rooting habits certainly are among them.
Even though Louisiana falls are usually dry, rain eventually comes. After long, extended wet periods, a sinister looking fungus or slime may appear, attacking lawns in the cooler season ahead.
LSU AgCenter faculty members are working on plans to put the Formosan subterranean termite research project in New Orleans’ French Quarter back on track after the recent hurricanes.
Fire ants can be a serious problem after hurricanes – particularly in flooded areas, according to experts with the LSU AgCenter.
The loss of power from hurricane winds, fire or flood could endanger the safety of your food within as little as four hours.
Many people are surprised about the extent of protection their homeowner's insurance policy offers. Although your policy may not cover flood damage to your home, it does offer some protection from loss due to natural disasters, such as hurricanes, according to LSU AgCenter family economics professor Dr. Ann Berry.
