(Distributed 03/28/13) NEW ORLEANS, La. – More than 200 economists, sociologists and government policymakers brought ideas and lively discussion about ecosystem services and valuation to the “Big Easy” during the 4th National Forum on Socioeconomic Research in Coastal Systems on March 24-26.

(Distributed 03/28/13) HAMMOND, La. – In Louisiana, we are ideally located to grow many plants that are adapted to more tropical and semi-tropical climates. This is especially true south of Interstate 10 and Interstate 12.

(Distributed 03/26/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter’s 4-H youth development program has received a $1.5 million, three-year grant to continue a wetlands-based curriculum aimed at students and teachers in grades fourth through 12th. This is the third time the AgCenter has received a grant for this program, which has been in operation since 2007.

(Distributed 03/25/13) DELCAMBRE, La. – Experts from the LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant met with area shrimpers to help them become more efficient, learn new technology and comply with federal fishing regulations. “We are talking about efficiency and quality,” said Thomas Hymel, extension agent.

(Distributed 03/22/13) NEW ORLEANS, La. – New Orleans is famous for its food. Fried seafood, rich gumbos and spicy etouffees are some of the city’s staples. But healthier fare is making its mark on the city’s landscape in the form of urban farms.

(Distributed 03/22/13) HAMMOND, La. – Gardeners have long desired flowers that are low-maintenance in their landscape. But they also want these flowers to last spring through fall.

(Distributed 03/12/13) LSU AgCenter will conduct a wheat and oat field day on April 17 at the Macon Ridge Research Station south of Winnsboro, La.

(Distributed 03/20/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Dan Hayes, an assistant professor in the LSU AgCenter Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, has been awarded a $400,000 Career Award grant from the National Science Foundation.

(Distributed 03/20/13) ALEXANDRIA, La. – Farmers sowed the first seeds of spring with corn going into the ground early in March. Wet weather delayed the start of planting, according to LSU AgCenter corn specialist, Ronnie Levy, but once drier conditions moved in, farmers planted a lot of corn in a short time.

(Distributed 03/18/13) CROWLEY, La. – LSU AgCenter research funded by Louisiana rice farmers’ checkoff funds led to federal approval of a bird repellent, AV-1011, that prevents birds from eating rice seed once it is planted.

(Distributed 03/18/13) CLINTON, La. – How best to deal with feral hogs and an overview of the epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) problem in white-tailed deer were featured at the LSU AgCenter Wildlife Field Day at the Bob R. Jones-Idlewild Research Station on March 16.

(Distributed 03/18/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Sometimes calories aren’t the same. They’re a measure of energy in foods, but calories in some foods are more easily transferred into the body than calories in other foods, said Richard Mattes, professor of foods and nutrition at Purdue University.

(Distributed 03/15/13) The LSU AgCenter brings the “magic” of agriculture to the Parker Coliseum April 22-28 on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge.

(Distributed 03/15/13) ALEXANDRIA, La. – The director of the Louisiana Forestry Association told foresters at a March 12 conference that several industries are planning to locate in Louisiana that would use wood to make biofuels and fertilizers.

(Distributed 03/15/13) HAMMOND, La. – March is the time when home gardeners get seriously engaged in planting and enjoying the spring season. Many gardeners continue to use roses in landscapes across Louisiana. In addition to the popular Knock Out varieties, people frequently plant All-America Rose Selection (AARS) winners.

(Distributed 03/04/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – East Baton Rouge Master Gardeners will hold their annual plant sale earlier this year, according to Master Gardener Donna Montgomery.

(Distributed 03/12/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – An LSU AgCenter researcher has received two grants totaling $400,000 to study water and soil contamination in southwest Louisiana.

(Distributed 03/12/13) JEANERETTE, La. – More than 125 people from 19 parishes attended the Acadiana Cattle Producers Field Day March 9 at the LSU AgCenter Iberia Research Station with presentations on cattle and forage research.

(Distributed 03/11/13) “Are your neighbors healthy?” Karen Overstreet asks. Creating a healthful neighborhood may be the secret to your own healthy lifestyle, according to the program leader for food and consumer sciences in the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 03/08/13) HAMMOND, La. – New varieties from the Encore azalea group are coming this spring. Many of the Encore azaleas now have improved cold hardiness (normally not a problem in Louisiana), sun tolerance and lacebug resistance. Encore azaleas bloom three seasons – spring, summer and fall.

(Distributed 03/06/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter has developed a mobile Web application, also known as an app, that will allow soybean farmers to easily identify weed, insect and disease problems in their fields by just grabbing their smartphones.

(Distributed 03/07/13) WELSH, La. – Making an internet connection in rural areas requires some research, but viable options are available. That was the message at the Connect My Louisiana Southwest Summit held recently (March 5) organized by the LSU AgCenter.

(Distributed 03/07/13) BATON ROUGE, La. –Two professors in the LSU AgCenter Department of Entomology were recognized at the 87th annual meeting of the Southeastern Branch Entomological Society of America in Baton Rouge on March 5.

(Distributed 03/06/13) CLINTON, La. – The LSU AgCenter is offering a prescribed burning workshop with burner certification for timber landowners on April 3-5 at the Bob R. Jones Idlewild Research Station. The workshop will begin 8 a.m. and end at 4 p.m. each day.

(Distributed 03/06/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana’s winter has been warmer and wetter than normal. This has been hard on the state’s wheat crop, which is midway through its growing season.

(Distributed 03/05/13) HOUMA, La. – Area shrimpers learned about new equipment being required on their boats and the best ways to comply and become more efficient at the Louisiana Seafood Summit Feb. 27-March 1 organized by the LSU AgCenter and Louisiana Sea Grant.

(Distributed 03/04/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Nationally known New Orleans restaurateur John Besh will be a featured speaker at the 2013 Louisiana Food Processors Conference on March 13-14 in Baton Rouge.

(Distributed 03/01/13) CROWLEY, La. – A warm winter apparently has allowed blast disease to survive on rice plants that lived through this winter’s warmer-than-usual temperatures. Many farmers reported blast outbreaks in their fields last year that affected yield and grain quality.

(Distributed 03/01/13) Nutritionists are encouraging people to eat right, your way, every day as a part of March’s National Nutrition Month.

(Distributed 03/01/13) HAMMOND, La. – The 2013 gardening season sees five new bedding plants named All-America Selection winners. These include Profusion Double Deep Salmon zinnia, Profusion Double Hot Cherry zinnia, Pinto Premium White to Rose geranium, Cheyenne Spirit echinacea (purple coneflower) and South Pacific Scarlet canna.

(Distributed 03/01/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – Harper Armstrong, of Bastrop, a farmer for the past 47 years in Morehouse Parish, has been selected as the 2013 Louisiana Farmer of the Year.

(Distributed 03/01/13) BATON ROUGE, La. – A variety of LSU AgCenter and Mississippi State University scientists and specialists will present ways to improve livestock nutrition programs at a forage and feed field day at the AgCenter Southeast Research Station in Franklinton on April 5.