(Distributed 02/28/14) HAMMOND, La. – One of the programs the LSU AgCenter offers is “Louisiana Yards and Neighborhoods.” It was developed several years ago as an educational program to teach home gardeners about sustainable landscaping and home horticulture practices.

(Distributed 02/28/14) ST. MARTINVILLE, La. – St. Martin Parish rice and soybeans producers heard preseason advice Wednesday (Feb. 26) from LSU AgCenter experts about preparing for this year’s crops.

(Distributed 02/28/14) ALEXANDRIA, La. – The future for wood products in Louisiana is bright, thanks to Europe, a beetle in Canada and an increase in U.S. housing construction, LSU AgCenter experts said Tuesday (Feb. 25) at the Central Louisiana Forestry Forum.

(Distributed 02/28/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The 13th class of the LSU AgCenter’s Agricultural Leadership Development program completed its two-year course of study with graduation February 22 at Nottoway Plantation in White Castle as AgCenter administrators recognized 24 leaders in agriculture production and ag-related industries from around the state.

(Distributed 02/28/14) JEANERETTE, La. – The Acadiana Beef Cattle Producers field day will be held March 8 at the Iberia Research Station.

(Distributed 02/25/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Dining and music among the blooms and under the stars will be featured during Gourmet in the Garden: A Progressive Dinner in the Gardens at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden on April 25, 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.

(Distributed 02/25/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The fourth annual Brush With Burden art exhibition will be held at the LSU AgCenter’s Botanic Garden at Burden from March 23-30.

(Distributed 02/24/14) NEW ORLEANS, La. – Two LSU AgCenter scientists were honored at the 2014 Rice Technical Working Group’s 35th meeting held Feb. 18-21. Johnny Saichuk received the Distinguished Rice Research and Education Award, and Mike Stout was one of seven entomologists from rice-growing states to be recognized with the Distinguished Rice Research and Education Team Award.

(Distributed 02/24/14) POLLOCK, La. – Families learned about healthy eating and the importance of exercise at the Louisiana 4-H Food and Fitness Camp held at 4-H Camp Grant Walker Feb. 22-23.

(Distributed 02/24/14) CROWLEY, La. – LSU AgCenter plant pathologist Don Groth said a federal label for the fungicide Sercadis has been granted for the upcoming growing season.

(Distributed 02/24/14) CROWLEY, La. – With crawfish season underway, south Louisiana residents look forward to dining on a regional delicacy, either in a backyard setting or a restaurant.

(Distributed 02/21/14) With an ever-increasing number of color combinations now spread over 33 available varieties, the Supertunia petunias from Proven Winners continue to impress in container and landscape trials across the Southeast.

(Distributed 02/21/14) HAMMOND, La. – Flowering trees add considerable color and beauty to our landscapes during late winter and early spring. Many of the trees that flower at this time of year can be considered low-maintenance compared to the amount of pleasure we get from them.

(Distributed 02/20/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Brown rust fungus poses a serious threat to Louisiana's nearly $1 billion sugarcane industry. Thanks to funding from the American Sugar Cane League, LSU AgCenter molecular biologist Niranjan Baisakh is studying DNA markers in sugarcane associated with resistance to the fungus. He hopes to help sugarcane breeders develop varieties that block the fungus at the molecular level.

(Distributed 02/20/14) SHREVEPORT, La., – The LSU AgCenter will hold its 30th Annual ARK-LA-TEX forestry forum on March 6 at the Holiday Inn Financial Plaza in Shreveport.

(Distributed 02/20/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Beauregard Parish Master Gardeners will hold a spring garden festival and plant sale at the Beauregard Parish Fairground Exhibit Hall and Demonstration Garden from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m on March 1.

(Distributed 02/20/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana’s issues with coastal land loss are well-documented. Scientists estimate that since 1930 as much as 25 square miles of land per year have been lost in the Mississippi River delta area.

(Distributed 02/20/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Mike Burnett has been named executive associate dean of the LSU College of Agriculture. In this new role, Burnett hopes to help the college's 10 departments and schools meet needs that will allow improved funding and recruitment, particularly in graduate programs.

(Distributed 02/19/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Shaun Tanger has been named the new forestry economist with the LSU AgCenter. Based in Baton Rouge, Tanger coordinates the outreach programs of five regional forestry specialists and helps provide the industry with the information necessary for continued growth and development.

(Distributed 02/19/14) GONZALES, La. – Hundreds of young people from across Louisiana were named state champions during the 79th Annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show held Feb.8-15 at the Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

(Distributed 02/18/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – East Baton Rouge Parish Master Gardeners will have a plant sale at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sat., April 12.

(Distributed 02/17/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter has scheduled 14 field days at off-campus research stations during 2014.

(Distributed 02/17/14) GONZALES, La. – Six exceptional Louisiana youths were recognized Saturday (Feb. 15) for their knowledge, skills and communication abilities as they were named winners of the Gerry Lane Premier Exhibitor Award at the 79th annual LSU AgCenter Livestock Show at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center here.

(Distributed 02/17/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter honored five Louisiana 4-H and FFA students and one adult leader Saturday, Feb. 15, for their work with youth livestock projects.

(Distributed 02/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The 25th annual Florida Parishes forestry forum is scheduled for Friday, March 14, at the University Center at Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond.

(Distributed 02/14/14) Some of the best dianthus for Louisiana are the Amazon series. These are extremely prolific flower producers and can be planted in September through early November or in February through March.

(Distributed 02/14/14) NEW ORLEANS –People involved in providing agricultural products to the New Orleans area joined in a leadership forum to discuss ways to improve the current system in New Orleans on Feb. 11.

(Distributed 02/14/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Rachel Detloff’s purple ombre gown is going from the classroom to the runway. Detloff is one of a group of senior level students and former students from the LSU College of Agriculture’s Department of Textiles, Apparel Design and Merchandising showing pieces during a runway show on Feb. 15.

(Distributed 02/14/14) HAMMOND, La. – Palm trees have become increasingly popular in Louisiana home landscapes recently, and this resurgence mainly can be attributed to the lack of severely cold weather over the past 30 years.

(Distributed 02/14/14) GONZALES, La. – Affectionately known as “John John” by his family, friends and fans, John Sonnier, a 4-H’er from St. Mary Parish was prepping to show his pigs at the LSU AgCenter’s state livestock show. He stopped occasionally to visit with people passing by and to show off his dance moves.

(Distributed 02/12/14) LAKE CHARLES, La. – Louisiana birds and wildlife habitat considered commonplace by local residents are considered exotic and fascinating by many out-of-state visitors looking for the different and unusual, according to speakers at an agritourism workshop on Feb. 11.

(Distributed 02/10/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana gardeners can work in their yards almost every day of the year, but spring is prime time for gardening.

(Distributed 02/12/14) DELHI, La. – Invasive species and residue management highlighted a recent (Feb. 6) LSU AgCenter agriculture producer meeting.

(Distributed 02/07/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Farmers growing crops in Louisiana and Mississippi may soon have two new crops to add to their portfolios. Researchers with the LSU AgCenter, Mississippi State University Cooperative Extension Service and the United States Department of Agriculture are working together to bring sugarcane and sweet sorghum north – way north – of Interstate 10.

(Distributed 02/11/14) ALEXANDRIA, La. – Farmers can improve the efficiency of their fertilizer applications with a combination of soil electro-conductivity, soil sampling and crop-yield monitors, according to two LSU AgCenter agents who conducted a workshop on precision ag technology.

(Distributed 02/11/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – A new gelatin-like bait using shrimp waste could improve the way blue crabs are caught along the coast of Louisiana and add value to the state’s shrimp processing industry.

(Distributed 02/10/14) Many people may be unfamiliar with pericallis, but the Senetti series contains the first repeat-blooming varieties.

(Distributed 02/07/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – Eighteen months after receiving a $1 million matching grant to fight obesity, residents of LaSalle Parish are seeing what new ideas and infrastructure can do to improve health.

(Distributed 02/07/14) HAMMOND, La. – Roses are one of our most popular ornamental plants. And home gardeners should learn about and be aware of recommended management practices for roses.

(Distributed 02/06/14) ALEXANDRIA, La. – The LSU AgCenter will hold its annual Central Louisiana Forestry Forum on Feb. 25 at the State Evacuation Shelter at the Dean Lee Research and Extension Station adjacent to the LSU-Alexandria campus.

(Distributed 02/06/14) LAFAYETTE, La. – LSU AgCenter researchers detailed their projects recently at the annual meeting of the Louisiana Division of the American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists. The conference, Feb. 3-5, was held in conjunction with the American Sugar Cane League.

(Distributed 02/05/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The LSU AgCenter is helping organize a derelict crab trap rodeo off the coast of Terrebonne Parish. The roundup will take place Saturday, Feb, 15, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Toby Voisin’s oyster dock at the end of Highway 315 in Dularge.

(Distributed 02/03/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – The growing feral hog population is causing millions of dollars of damage to agriculture across the southeastern United States. Because they are intelligent, difficult to control and have an appetite for just about anything, the hogs can quickly wipe out fields of crops along with farmers' investments.

(Distributed 02/03/14) BATON ROUGE, La. – A Louisiana 4-H group attended the first 4-H National Youth Healthy Living Summit recently to learn how to spread the message about living safer and healthier.