more... > Disaster Recovery & Assistance > Agriculture > Winter Options for Beef Cattle in Louisiana [Image: Hay bales for cattle.] Southwest and south central Louisiana beef cattle producers have endured a devastating hit from Hurricane Rita. The Louisiana Ag Summary suggests that more than 175,000 cows reside in the parishes that were hardest hit. Saltwater intrusion coupled with fence damage has greatly limited the options for wintering beef cattle in these areas. This article provides various winter options for beef cattle in Louisiana. New Ice Machine Part of Rita Recovery Effort [Image: Loading ice at Cameron plant] On the eve of the first anniversary of Hurricane Rita, fishermen in Cameron Parish were celebrating the dedication of a new ice plant that will aid in the recovery effort under way in South Louisiana. Plaquemines Parish Cattle Losses High; Mostly Barns And Fences Lost Elsewhere Many cattle producers in southeastern Louisiana didn’t fare too well as a result of Hurricane Katrina. Observers estimate producers lost at least 80 percent of the cattle in Plaquemines Parish. Katrina Hurts Louisiana Milk, Citrus, Cattle, Sugarcane Production; Nursery Industry Suffers Too [Image: Downed sugarcane and power line near Raceland mill] While most eyes are focused on New Orleans, the surrounding countryside has suffered a severe blow from Hurricane Katrina that’s expected to affect several Louisiana agricultural commodities.  more articles... Shipping Crops Problem For Farmers; High Fuel Prices Also A Blow Obstacles to shipping grain out of the Port of New Orleans because of damages from Hurricane Katrina remain a hindrance for farmers, but encouraging signs emerged Sept. 7. Beef Newsletter: Hurricane Katrina Relief Information [Image: Beef Newsletter Picture, page 1] At present, hundreds of Louisiana cattlemen and thousands of cattle need help. Find out how to help and what to donate. Meeting Set To Plan Fisheries Restoration Funding Use Louisiana’s fisheries resources affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita will benefit from fisheries restoration funding in the 2006 Federal Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, according to state officials. Fisheries Industries Rebounding At Different Paces [Image: Shrimp on ice] A year after being ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, southeast Louisiana’s commercial and recreational fishing industries are still in the rebuilding stages – and the pace of progress is dramatically different for each of them. Will Salt Water Weaken Rice Leaf Miners? Researcher Looking For Answers [Image: Boris Castro examining rice plants] Will the South American rice leaf miner be affected by salt water pushed ashore by Hurricane Rita? LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Boris Castro said it’s possible the rice pest’s population could have been weakened by the high salinity, but there’s no way of knowing yet. Lafourche-Terrebonne Area Citrus Growers Hope To Fill Void Left By Storms With most of the citrus groves in Plaquemines Parish destroyed by last fall’s hurricanes, growers in the Lafourche-Terrebonne area are preparing to fill part of that market niche. Experts Tell Consultants Some Salty Soils Improve, Others Get Worse South Louisiana rice fields contaminated with salt from Hurricane Rita’s storm surge have shown some improvements, although not as much as expected, and salinity levels actually have increased in some sugarcane fields. Youngsters Press On With Livestock Projects Despite Hurricanes [Image: Bailey Richard] Hurricane Rita destroyed homes, schools and barns when it ripped through Cameron Parish last fall. It also bruised and battered the hopes of hundreds of 4-H’ers looking forward to showing livestock. Sugarcane Harvest Better Than Expected [Image: Sugarcane Harvest] Hurricanes Rita and Katrina were not good for the already struggling Louisiana sugarcane industry, but the storms did not do as much damage as growers first anticipated. (TV News 12/12/05. Runtime: 1 minute 25 seconds) Southwest Louisiana Cattle Producers Still Hoping For Comeback [Image: Stranded calf in Vermilion Parish after Hurricane Rita] The sound of rain falling Wednesday night (Dec. 14) was sweet as a symphony to Gary Wicke, an LSU AgCenter county agent in Cameron Parish. Reducing salt contamination in the marsh from Hurricane Rita will improve chances for cattle forage to regrow. The sooner that happens, the better, Wicke said. More...