(Distributed 06/28012) CROWLEY, La. – The Louisiana Master Farmer Program is being fine-tuned with changes to enable more agricultural producers to achieve certification with completion of the program’s three phases.

(Distributed 06/29/12) CROWLEY – The tell-tale signs of diseased rice could be seen from the road at the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station Field Day held Thursday (June 28), with several plots showing sterile panicles that will produce little or no grain.

(Distributed 06/28/12) July is Smart Irrigation Month across the country. This is an effort of the Irrigation Association to educate industry professionals and homeowners on proper irrigation in the landscape. In order for an irrigation system to be effective, it needs to be designed right, installed right and water right. What does all this mean?

(Distributed 06/26/12) Theo Udeigwe, LSU AgCenter agronomist, is in his first year of studying the effects of different wheat residue and stubble management techniques on soil quality and soybean yield in a wheat-soybean double crop system.

(Distributed 06/25/12) BATON ROUGE, La. – Members of 4-H clubs from across Louisiana were named state contest winners on June 21 at the closing session of the LSU AgCenter’s 4-H University.

(Distributed 06/22/12) ALEXANDRIA, La. – The LSU AgCenter Dean Lee Research and Extension field day on July 19 will feature presentations on biofuels, cotton, corn, soybeans and cattle.

(Distributed 06/21/12) OAK GROVE, La. – The LSU AgCenter will hold a midseason field day for northeast Louisiana rice and soybean farmers on July 12 in West Carroll Parish.

CROWLEY, La. – Representatives of the Kellogg Co., Louisiana Rice Mill and the LSU AgCenter unveiled on July 18 the Master Rice Grower Program, which provides incentives to qualified farmers for following sustainable production practices.

(Distributed 06/19/12) ST. JOSEPH, La. – More than 170 farmers and agriculture industry representatives heard about the latest research on corn, soybeans and cotton at the annual field day held June 14 at the LSU AgCenter Northeast Research Station.

(Distributed 06/18/12) Hector Zapata, professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, has been named interim associate vice chancellor for International Programs, a joint appointment between the LSU AgCenter and LSU A&M. He replaces Lakshman Velupillai, who will retire from that post on June 30.

(Distributed 06/14/12) BOSSIER CITY, La. – An LSU AgCenter soybean breeder is going back to the wild to find ways of increasing soybean yields.

(Distributed 06/14/12) CROWLEY, La. – Farmers midway through their rice-growing season heard advice Wednesday (June 13) from LSU AgCenter experts at the Acadia Parish field day on precautions to be considered to protect this year’s crop.

(Distributed 06/11/12) Producing the highest quality beef in order to improve return on investment was the primary topic of the LSU AgCenter Beef Field Day held at the Central Research Station in Baton Rouge on June 9.

(Distributed 06/11/12) Downy mildew was recently found on impatiens in the south Baton Rouge area.

(Distributed 06/07/12) The big, black eastern lubber grasshopper has started making its appearance in southern Louisiana. But its frightful look should be no cause for alarm, said Tim Schowalter, LSU AgCenter entomologist and head of the Department of Entomology.

(Distributed 06/06/12) Applying a combination of wood mulch and compost on highway construction sites can significantly reduce the amount of rain runoff and accompanying erosion, according to research from the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 06/06/12) Louisiana blueberry growers have a new pest to watch for that has the potential of reducing their yield by up to 30 percent.

Rice farmers should be vigilant for disease, specifically leaf blast, that is worse than in previous years, LSU AgCenter experts advised during field days in Evangeline and Jefferson Davis parishes.

(Distributed 06/05/12) The Louisiana County Agents Association recently honored LSU AgCenter county agents Keith Fontenot and Terrence Marshall with the organization’s Distinguished Service Award.

(Distributed 06/05/12) FRANKLINTON, La. – Producers from as far away as Texas and Mississippi learned about the newest hay equipment and improved summer forages at the forage field day May 31 at the LSU AgCenter Southeast Research Station.

(Distributed 06/01/12) The LSU AgCenter and the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Foundation finalized a limited lease and use agreement on May 24 that allows the foundation to rent LSU AgCenter property at the Dean Lee Research Station in Alexandria to manage their cattle.

(Distributed 06/01/12) Two nuisance caterpillars are out in greater numbers than usual this year in Louisiana. One is a dangerous stinging caterpillar, and the other can wreak havoc in small fruit and ornamental trees.

(Distributed 06/01/12) CROWLEY, La. – The LSU AgCenter will hold a field day June 13 for Acadia Parish farmers.

(Distributed 06/01/12) Garden and research plot tours, food sampling and music will be featured at a morning-long Garden Fest at Burden Center on June 30 at the LSU AgCenter Burden Center in Baton Rouge.