(Distributed 01/25/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter is offering two new short courses for tree care and landscape professionals. The first course, Introduction to Arboriculture, will be held Feb. 18-22.

(Distributed 01/25/13) ST. GABRIEL, La. – The fledgling biofuels and bioprocessing industry in the South took a step forward Friday, Jan. 25, with the formal commissioning of a pilot plant at the LSU AgCenter Audubon Sugar Institute.

(Distributed 01/25/13) HAMMOND, La. – No specific set of rules will cover all pruning. The important consideration should be preserving the natural form of a particular species.

(Distributed 01/25/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recently announced plans to increase lead safety and awareness of the Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting (RRP) rule by mailing postcards to uncertified renovation contractors as a reminder of their obligation to become certified and by increasing its monitoring and enforcement activities.

(Distributed 01/24/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Heavy rains that soaked south Louisiana in early January were not what strawberry farmers needed.

(Distributed 01/24/13) WEST MONROE, La. – Keeping sites productive in today’s economy is an important consideration to managing forestlands, according to LSU AgCenter forestry specialist Mike Blazier.

(Distributed 01/23/13) RAYVILLE, La. – Louisiana rice farmers heard Tuesday, Jan. 22, that federal regulations for large fuel storage tanks on farms and ranches will go into effect May 15 unless Congress can be convinced to delay the measures for another year.

(Distributed 01/23/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Winter wheat is one of the few crops currently in the ground and subject to the adverse effects of flooding.

(Distributed 01/22/13) WEST MONROE, La. – Trail rides and other horse-related enterprises are big business across the country, particularly in the South. “Trail riders spend $50-$70 million yearly,” said Clint Depew, retired LSU AgCenter equine specialist.

(Distributed 01/21/13) ALEXANDRIA, La. – Farmers getting ready to plant their cotton and small grain crops this year got advice from a full slate of LSU AgCenter experts on Jan. 17 at the Dean Lee Research Station.