(Distributed 06/30/06) Four field days for farmers will be held in July in several Southwest Louisiana parishes.

(Distributed 06/30/06) The LSU AgCenter recently conducted an Urban Stormwater Academy to help engineers, architects and municipal officials learn about practices that will both reduce stormwater runoff and its contaminant load at construction sites.

(Distributed 06/29/06) In Washington Parish, you generally don’t need a calendar to tell when July 4 is near. All you’d have to do is drive around and count the number of people selling watermelons on the roadside or at produce stands. The same is true in many other areas across Louisiana where watermelons are grown and sold this time of year.

(Distributed 06/29/06) Two new sugarcane varieties released earlier this year will be featured at the LSU AgCenter’s Annual Sugarcane Field Day July 19 at the St. Gabriel Research Station.

(Distributed 06/28/06) The LSU AgCenter and others are offering programs this summer designed to help consumers learn how to avoid scams, fraud and identity theft.

(Distributed 06/23/06) Ten months ago, U.S. Army Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore was charged with overseeing the relief efforts after the worst natural disaster to hit the United States – Hurricane Katrina. Last night (June 22) he told a group of 4-H’ers the leadership and values he learned as a 4-H’er "brought aid and safety to thousands along the Gulf Coast."

(Distributed 06/23/06) Certified forests may be the next trend in lumber marketing, but non-industrial, private forest landowners generally are unwilling to foot the bill, according to a recent study.

(Posted 06/23/06) This collection of photos shows some of the activities when hundreds of young people from across the state gathered June 20-23 in Baton Rouge for the 2006 version of Louisiana 4-H University. Students from all 64 parishes of Louisiana participated in the contests, educational programs, campus tours and other activities that were part of the events.

(Distributed 06/22/06) Young people from across Louisiana were announced as state winners and alternates in various contests Thursday night (June 22) at the final session of the LSU AgCenter’s 4-H University in Baton Rouge. Hundreds more were selected as blue-ribbon winners, and more than 1,500 youngsters participated in the three-day series of activities that are part of the annual 4-H event.

(Distributed 06/21/06) There is one good thing about the drier-than-normal weather conditions around Louisiana so far this year. That’s fewer mosquitoes, according to an expert with the LSU AgCenter, who stressed precautions still are needed to prevent mosquito-borne diseases.