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sections. Click on the section you would like to read.
Senate votes
to extend farm bill until April 18
USDA Now Accepting
Applications for Energy Projects
Lavergne
appointed to Louisiana Egg Commission for 3-year term
New 4-H
University Web site
New 4-H
Intranet
New
Statewide Commissioner of Higher Education
Pigs,
Cows, Hoops and Clovers
EPA
Agricultural Advisory Committee Members and First Meeting
Manila Rice
Plea a Wake-Up Call for a Hungry World
Louisiana
Plant Pathology
Louisianians
express favorable opinions of farmers, farming
Golf
Tournament and Raffle to Benefit Louisiana 4-H
Senate votes to extend farm
bill until April 18
The
Senate passed an extension of the 2002 Farm Bill to give its and House
Agriculture Committee leaders more time to try to reach an agreement with the
White House on a new farm bill.
The
House was considering similar legislation, which would extend the expiration
date of the current law from March 15 to April 18. Congress extended the 2002
law to March 15 shortly before it would have expired last Sept. 30.
“Talks
continue on a bipartisan basis between Senate and House negotiators and each
day brings us closer to resolution,” said Sen.Tom Harkin, chairman of the
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and one of a group of
farm-state congressmen who have been meeting with Bush administration officials
on the farm bill.
“Although
a new bill is within reach, Congress needs more time to reach agreement and
obtain the necessary cooperation from the White House,” he said. “There is
still a considerable amount of work ahead before we can pass a bill: obtaining
the needed funding for the bill and fitting all of the demands within the
funding we expect to be available.”
If
the farm bill is allowed to expire, USDA must begin implementing what’s known
as permanent law, the Agriculture Adjustment Act of 1938 and the Agriculture
Act of 1949 because all subsequent farm bills have been amendments to those two
laws.
The
two laws would require USDA to conduct referendums on mandatory acreage control
programs for cotton and wheat and would increase the Commodity Credit Corp.
loan rates for several of the program crops to a percentage of parity. USDA
estimates the CCC loan rate for cotton, for example, would rise to $1.32 per
pound for base loan and grade.
“This
short-term extension will ensure America’s farm and nutrition
programs continue until the new farm bill is completed,” Harkin said in a
statement released shortly after the Senate voted to extend the law. (Ag
committee leaders originally planned to extend the new expiration date to April
15.)
Source:
Delta Farm Press
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USDA Now Accepting Applications for Energy
Projects
USDA
Rural Development is now accepting applications for energy projects! Loan
guarantees and grants are available to agricultural producers and rural small
businesses to purchase and install renewable energy systems or to make energy
efficiency improvements. USDA will issue one grant solicitation for two
separate competitions in FY 2008. For the first competitive window, grant-only
applications must be submitted to the address below no later than April 15. For
the second competitive window, grant-only applications must be submitted no
earlier than April 16 and no later than June 16 to the address below.
Applications for loan guarantees, as well as those for loan/grant combinations,
must be completed and submitted to the address below no later than June 16. Applicants
may access the electronic grant application at http://www.grants.gov.
For
more information, contact Kevin Boone at:
USDA
Rural Development
905 Jefferson
Street, Suite 320
Lafayette, Louisiana
70501
Telephone:
(337) 262-6601, extension 133
e-mail:
kevin.boone@la.usda.gov
For
application and submission information about this funding opportunity, see the
March 6 Federal Register at: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont08.html.
Source:
USDA
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Lavergne appointed to Louisiana Egg
Commission for 3-year term
Theresia
Lavergne, associate professor in the School
of Animal Sciences, has
been appointed to the Louisiana Egg Commission by Commissioner of Agriculture
Mike Strain. She will serve a three-year term. She is one of eight members on
the commission and was elected vice-chair for a one-year term.
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New 4-H University Web site
A
new, exciting and user friendly Web site has been developed for 4-H University.
The site, http://intranet.lsuagcenter.net/unit/4H/4HU/default.aspx,
contains information on contest rules, Clover College,
educational programs, due dates, required forms, housing and general
information for attending 4-H University. To log on to the Web site, you must
enter agcenter\username and your AgCenter password. The registration Web site
will be open on Monday, May 19 at 8:00 a.m. with a deadline date of Wednesday,
June 4 at 4:30 p.m. Review the staff assignment list, located under the Forms
link to determine the person you should contact with a particular question. For
questions on the contest, contact the superintendent directly. For questions or
concerns with the Web site, contact Robin Green or Amanda Caruso.
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New 4-H Intranet
4-H
is also introducing a new Web site for the 4-H Intranet. The new intranet, http://intranet.lsuagcenter.net/unit/4H/Pages/default.aspx,
will replace the current intranet site currently located at https://www.lsuagcenter.net/fourh/. To
log on to the Web site, you must enter agcenter\username and your
AgCenter password. Please contact Robin Green and/or Amanda Caruso for
assistance.
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New Statewide
Commissioner of Higher Education
The
state Board of Regents, which sets policies for Louisiana’s
colleges and universities, has named Sally Clausen of Baton Rouge the new statewide commissioner of
higher education. In her new job, Clausen will oversee all the state’s public
universities and two-year colleges. She currently is president of the University of Louisiana
System, which oversees many of the state’s universities, such
as Southeastern Louisiana
University in Hammond.
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Pigs, Cows, Hoops and Clovers
What
do pigs, cows, hoops and clovers all have in common? The answer is easy: the
celebration of the Louisiana
4-H Centennial. The Centennial was highlighted at two major 4-H events that
took place in February. These two exciting events were the State 4-H Livestock
show and the New Orleans Hornets 4-H game.
The
state livestock show was held at the Lamar
Dixon Expo
Center in Gonzales on
February 9-16. More than 5,000 youth and adults from around the state participated.
Banners were hung and announcements were made throughout so everyone would be
informed of this momentous celebration. Door prizes, which included centennial
items, scholarships to 4-H camp and LSU Football tickets were given out
throughout the week. We were very excited to introduce the 4-H Centennial pig
who wore a large green bow and 100 painted on her side. She was the main
attraction before the start of our parish group competition. Hats-off to Acadia parish for using the 100th birthday theme for
their swine parish group. With all the excitement we also raised money for the
centennial. The livestock show ended on Saturday night with an awards program
in which two of our 4-H executive committee members were able to speak. Paige
Chauvin of St. James and Kevin Goebel of Jeff Davis did an excellent job of
speaking to the group about what 4-H meant to them.
The
New Orleans Hornets Basketball 4-H game was held in New Orleans on February 22. More than 2,300
tickets were sold to 4-H members and their families. The game was quite an
exciting time for all. The centennial was promoted with basketballs, t-shirts,
buttons and posters. They were all a big hit with the fans. Some of our 4-H’ers
were able to participate in some unique opportunities such as singing the Stars
Spangled Banner, high-five group, taking photos with players and Honey
Bee cheerleaders, color guard and ball boys. More than 50 4-H’ers participated
in the halftime event where they walked on court with 4-H Centennial signs. Thanks
to these 4-H’ers who made quite a showing.
And
the fun continues. March highlights have included the 4-H Documentary aired on
LPB March 12 and 16 and the Mudbugs/4-H Hockey game on March 15. Be on the
lookout for Blue Bell 4-H Centennial ice cream that will be out in stores soon.
Until next time, I hope everyone is having lots of fun celebrating the 4-H
Centennial.
Source:
Renee Castro
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EPA Agricultural Advisory
Committee Members and First Meeting
Thirty
people have been named members of the new EPA Farm, Ranch and Rural Communities
Advisory Committee. The committee chairman is James Moseley, former USDA deputy
secretary. The first meeting of the committee was held March 13 and 14 in Washington, D.C.
The
committee’s initial focus centers on three issues: 1) how EPA's policies and
regulations on climate change and renewable energy will affect the agriculture
community; 2) an environmental strategy for managing waste from livestock
operations that considers regulatory and voluntary approaches and provides
tools for producers to attain superior environmental performance; and 3)
development of a constructive approach to advancing sustainable agriculture,
protecting the environment and addressing communication between environmental
and agricultural interests.
See
http://www.epa.gov/agriculture/frrcc/
for more information.
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Manila Rice Plea a Wake-Up Call
for a Hungry World
This
article is taken from the PlanetArk World Environmental News on February 28:
The
Philippines' unusual plea
for Hanoi to
guarantee rice supplies is the clearest sign of a growing global anxiety over
how nations will feed their people.
President
Gloria Macapagal Arroyo had contacted Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung
to see if he could pledge an undisclosed supply of rice, officials said on
Thursday, an exceptional move in a market that normally operates on a purely
commercial basis among traders or state procurement agencies.
It
was not the first time an Asian government has taken action in the face of
soaring grain prices and growing fears over the security of food supplies. India has restricted some rice exports, Indonesia has raised taxes on palm oil shipments
and Malaysia
is building up stocks.
But
Arroyo appears to be the first to take an overtly political route to allay
fears that the Philippines,
whose rapidly expanding population is among the most dependent on imports,
could run short of its staple national food.
"This
is a wake-up call," Robert Zeigler, director general of the
Philippines-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), told Reuters on
Friday. "We have a crisis brewing in terms of rice supply."
Nearly
half the planet's 6.6 billion people depend on rice to survive, but rising
populations and economic growth mean that the world is already eating more of
the grain than is harvested. Vietnam,
the world's second-biggest exporter, has put a temporary ban on shipments to
meet domestic demand between harvests. World stocks of the grain are currently
around 72 million tonnes, their lowest levels since the early- to mid-1970s
when food shortages triggered a devastating famine in Bangladesh.
Zeigler
said other importing nations in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia
could also be at risk and as soon as this year. "When you have a president
calling a prime minister asking them to guarantee rice supplies it's a
possibility, that's for sure," said Zeigler.
Bangladesh is currently
scrambling to secure supplies of rice after a devastating cyclone last year
washed away about 1 million tonnes of the grain. The rising price of food has
triggered protests in Indonesia
and Jakarta is
having to hike its food subsidy bill by over a third to around 9 trillion
rupiah this year, partly due to climbing prices. China, a net exporter of corn, rice
and wheat in 2007, has removed import taxes, raised export taxes and imposed
export quotas on grains and flour due to red-hot inflation.
Average
rice prices have nearly doubled to around $393 per tonne in the past five years
but yields are plateauing as rapid urbanization shrinks available farmland and
diverts water and labor away from production. Meanwhile soaring grains prices
are also driving up competition for arable land.
Surging
demand from the fast-growing Middle East and growing African consumption have
boosted the price of rice from Thailand, the world's biggest exporter, by over
20 percent to their highest in a decade -- yet another inflationary headache
for policymakers.
"There
is no easy relief in sight," said Ted James, principal economist at the
Asian Development Bank. "I don't think we will see them (prices) falling
precipitously any time soon. But I don't think there will be a shortage if the
price is allowed to reflect the market. If you try to keep prices below the
market then shortages could emerge because of hoarding and speculation."
The
IRRI, which spearheaded the development of high-yielding rice seeds in a Green
Revolution around 40 years ago, says more research and development is needed to
kickstart another Green Revolution that will help feed the world for decades to
come.
Meanwhile
the Philippines
faces a sterner test than many other nations, as it has one of the
fastest-growing populations in the world with three babies born every minute.
It is planting more high-yielding varieties of rice and is hoping to produce a
record 17 million plus tonnes this year, but is constantly struggling to keep
pace with demand. "They have a challenge that is much greater than in
other countries in terms of trying to be somewhere near self sufficiency. They
have to keep running faster than other countries run," said Randy Barker,
of the IRRI's social services division.
Source:
http://www.planetark.org/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=47155
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Louisiana Plant
Pathology
Louisiana
Plant Pathology is a new series of publications for disseminating information
on plant disease identification and management. The goal is to provide a comprehensive
series of high quality printed and online-only publications for your
information and use. The first of these is a fact sheet on downy mildew of
cucurbits and can be accessed online.
Source:
Drs. Hollier, Ferrin, Overstreet
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Louisianians express favorable
opinions of farmers, farming
Three-quarters
of Louisianians have favorable opinions of farmers and farming in Louisiana, according to
a recent statewide survey. The scientific study conducted by Market Research
Insight for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation and the LSU AgCenter showed a
full 75 percent of those polled said they had favorable or very favorable
opinions about farmers and farming in the state. Only 3 percent expressed
unfavorable opinions, while 22 percent had either neutral opinions or expressed
no opinion when asked, “Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of
farmers and farming in Louisiana?”
Generally,
most responses to questions in the survey were favorable toward agriculture and
reflected that Louisianians seem to possess a good body of knowledge about the
current state of affairs for the industry.
The
full new release and a summary of the survey’s finding is available online.
Source:
AgCenter Communications
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Golf Tournament and Raffle to
Benefit Louisiana 4-H
The
11th annual Louisiana
4-H Foundation Golf Tournament will be held Friday, April 4 at the Tamahka
Trails Golf Club in Marksville. The golf course is part of the state’s Audubon
Trail. The trail consists of 13 courses located throughout Louisiana.
This
year is the centennial celebration for 4-H in Louisiana, and 4-H Foundation director Eric
Eskew says this year’s event will be one of the featured statewide events
surrounding 4-H during its 100-year celebration.
“I’m
excited about having the tournament in central Louisiana this year. Tamahka Trails is a
great facility, and the proceeds generated by this event will enhance our own
facility and benefit the youth of the Louisiana,”
Eskew said.
Proceeds
from the golf tournament will be used to expand programs and renovate existing
programming areas at the Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center near Alexandria. The camp
serves as home to the 4 H summer camp that annually draws more than 5,000
students from across the state, as well as a variety of other educational
events for youth.
The
cost to enter the tournament is $150 per person, and that fee includes cart and
greens fee, lunch, dinner, a polo shirt and chances to win multiple door
prizes. To register, contact Eric Eskew at (225) 578-1172 or eaeskew@agcenter.lsu.edu.
In
addition to the golf tournament, the Louisiana
4-H Foundation is conducting a $10,000 4 H Centennial Raffle. Tickets are $100,
and only 1,000 tickets will be sold with the drawing being held on September 13
as part of the 4-H Tailgate Party that culminates with the LSU-North Texas
football game in Tiger Stadium. To purchase tickets, call the Louisiana 4-H Foundation office at (225)
578-2972 or contact your local 4-H agent.
Funds
generated through the raffle will be used to support environmental education initiatives
at Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center. In addition, a portion of the funds
will provide 4-H camp scholarships for low-income and at-risk youth.
4-H
is an educational youth program of the LSU AgCenter. More than 220,000 Louisiana youth participated
in 4-H sponsored activities last year.
Source:
AgCenter Communications
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Please continue to visit the director’s website.
If you have any comments or suggestions to improve e-Directions or
the director’s website, please contact me at pcoreil@agcenter.lsu.edu.
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