Events
LSU AgCenter chancellor explains proposed budget cuts to Bossier Parish group
Dr. Bill Richardson, LSU AgCenter chancellor, communicated his concerns about the state budget reduction’s impact to a group gathered in Bossier City March 10 and asked for their support.
Earlier that day he received confirmation from the LSU System office of the proposed budget reductions of approximately $219 million for the fiscal year 2010 budget (in addition to this year’s midyear budget reduction to higher education of $55 million).
For the LSU AgCenter, this means an additional $13.3 million cut (15.1 percent) for FY 2010 over the FY 2009 $3.8 million midyear budget cut (4.4 percent), Richardson told the 40 people in attendance.
“I am coming out and talking to groups around the state about the budget. This will impact our programs,” Richardson said.
He asked those in attendance to contact their legislators. “Average citizens don’t feel like their phone call and letter count, but they really do,” he said.
Richardson said there is “a wonderful group of things going on in the AgCenter,” citing 4-H and agricultural research. “We will do everything we can to continue to provide the services we have. But a lot of people just don’t know what agriculture does.”
Unlike most institutions of higher learning, the LSU AgCenter does not receive tuition from students, Richardson explained. “The number of things we can raise revenue on is pretty small.”
Ricky Kilpatrick, LSU AgCenter Bossier Parish chair, gave examples of services from his area, including forestry programs, 4-H shooting sports and family and consumer sciences initiatives.
“We appreciate your support and hope you’ll be advocates,” Kilpatrick said. He said there is strong support from local legislators, but it doesn’t hurt to remind them of the LSU AgCenter activities.
“Fifty percent of the Legislature was in 4-H,” said Bobby Fletcher Jr., assistant director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service. He thanked the Bossier Parish Police Jury and Bossier Parish School Board, which had representatives present, for their local support.
“We’re going to have 4-H,” Kilpatrick said. “4-H is the heart and soul of the AgCenter.” He said Bossier Parish serves 1,200 4-H’ers with two full-time agents.
Mike Irvin, Oil City Elementary Magnet School principal, said the LSU AgCenter has played a vital role in the turnaround of his school, which has been featured in Newsweek for its improvement in test scores through Project Learning Tree, an environmental education program of the American Forest Foundation that Kilpatrick conducts.
Mary Anne Rankin, director of the Bossier Council on Aging, stressed that the LSU AgCenter also helps senior citizens. “We have a community garden that your people helped us build,” she said.
Dr. Patrick Colyer, Northwest regional director for the LSU AgCenter, named a few of the programs offered in the seven parishes he supervises. Those include agricultural research, a greenhouse tomato program, a constructed wetlands, monthly Lunch and Ag discovery meetings, the LSU AgCenter Pecan Research-Extension Station, the only Advanced Master Gardener program in the state, classes for children impacted by divorce, Smart Portions nutrition classes in Webster Parish, the AgCellent Expo for third-graders in Sabine Parish and visits by 4-H’ers to the War Veterans Home and a mentoring program at the Allendale Friendship House in Shreveport.
Pecan Workshop set for April 30
In preparation for pecan season, a workshop will be held at the LSU AgCenter Pecan Station on Thursday, April 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Cost is $15 and includes lunch.
Topics include fertilizer application and tissue analysis, herbicides for pecan orchards, pecan disease control and pesticide applicator calibration and insecticide update.
Forestry Forum provides landowners suggestions, safety lessons
The 25th annual Ark-La-Tex Forestry Forum held in Shreveport March 12 offered suggestions for forest owners to make progress in hard economic times and included a safety lesson for when they are in the woods.
Sponsors were the LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Louisiana Forestry Association, Northwest Louisiana Extension Forestry Advisory Committee and the Ark-La-Tex Ag Council.
Dr. Don Reed, LSU AgCenter wildlife specialist, cautioned landowners about getting lost, hypothermia, snakes, lightening and more.
He told the 180 in attendance that the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries goes on 12 to 15 search-and-rescue calls a year.
Eighty-five percent of all wilderness deaths are caused by hypothermia, Reed said. “When your feet get cold, put on your hat.”
The opposite extreme is heat exhaustion in which spasms and cramps result from salt loss. Heat stroke leads to unconsciousness, Reed explained.
Even one percent water loss brings rapid changes to the body, Reed said. “Drink two quarts of water each hour if you are sweating excessively.”
Reed said there are 45 species of snakes native to Louisiana; seven are venomous. Poisonous snakes generally have vertical elliptical pupils and a triangular-shaped head.
He also cited the folk rhyme regarding coloration patterns, “Red and yellow, kill a fellow; red and black, friendly jack.”
Cottonmouth is a snake you have to worry about the most, he stressed. If bitten, Reed said to remain calm, keep immobilized and never apply ice or restrict circulation.
Snake bites can be prevented by wearing protective chaps, watching where you are walking and where you place your hands when scraping leaves away, Reed said. Odds of being bitten by a poisonous snake are 1 in 10,000; odds of death are 1 in 600 with medical attention (more than the 1 in 40 odds without), he added.
Odds of being struck by lightening in the United States are 1 in 200,000, “but they are not odds you want to take,” Reed said. He said to avoid trees, hills and water in a lightening storm and suggested getting in a vehicle if you can.
Other outdoor safety concerns and their prevention tips include wearing safety harnesses in tree stands, wearing a helmet, driving slowly and not taking passengers on four-wheelers and having knowledge of poisonous plants.
“But the most dangerous thing you are going to do today is drive home. If you make it through the woods, you’ve beaten the odds,” Reed said.
Bill Hubbard, southern regional extension forester, University of Georgia, discussed economic trends and the forestry market, saying the bright side includes value from such eco-markets as carbon credits, bioproducts, harvest residues and possible credit for water rights, water production or clean water.
“Forestry has sustained tough times in the past,” Hubbard said. “Regardless of the depressed timber market, sound, sustainable management is critical.”
Hubbard said three areas of successful timber management in rough times include adequate access, sufficient volumes and high-quality trees.
Low-value thinning should proceed, he said. He cited an adage that “you need blue (sky) to grow green to grow brown.”
He said the economy will improve, but landowners need to keep their stand in ready condition. “Manage that stand in a healthy, sustainable fashion,” Hubbard said.
Paul Spillers, tax attorney, discussed basic mineral law for forest landowners. “Look at your land like a diamond,” he said. “If you explore and polish up your land like a diamond, it will shine.”
Before signing a mineral lease, get professional advice, Spillers said, explaining that minerals include oil and gas, coal, gravel, soil, water, iron ore and clay.
Ask for a Vertical Pugh Clause, Spillers said. A Vertical Pugh Clause means the lease is continued beyond the primary term only to the deepest point drilled during the primary term. All depths below are free to be leased again by the landowner after the end of the primary term.
He said landowners should have input in location of pipelines and roads, surface damage reimbursement and prohibition of permanent structures.
At the close of the program, Buck Vandersteen, executive director of the Louisiana Forestry Association, said he will be working closely with the LSU AgCenter to make sure the industry is represented in the Legislature.
Shreveporter Steve Muslow, LFA president, added, “I pledge that LFA will not sit by and do nothing while the timber industry suffers.”
Hat’s Off to Nutrition among Aclin’s events
Each year the LSU AgCenter partners with the American Dietetic Association (ADA) to celebrate National Nutrition Month with a special program –“Hat’s Off to Nutrition” -- which is free and open to the public.
“Hat’s Off to Nutrition” was held March 26 at the LSU AgCenter office in DeSoto Parish. Cpl. Lifford Jackson of the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Department spoke on “Health and Safety at Home and in the Workplace.” He encouraged those in attendance to be aware of their surroundings and think like a criminal.
The 2009 campaign -- Eat Right -- is designed to focus attention on the importance of good nutrition, making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits during National Nutrition Month and beyond.
Aclin’s upcoming activities include:
April 9--Smart Portions (seven weeks) at LifeShare Blood Center
April 22--Crosslake Homemakers Club-Saving Food $$$
April 24--4-H Extravaganza, Handwashing and Food Safety
April 29--Body Walk, Newton Smith Elementary
April 30--Body Walk, Judson Magnet Elementary
May 1--4-H Extravaganza, Handwashing and Food Safety
AgCenter faculty speaking at Rose Center
Dan Gill and Dr. Allen Owings, LSU AgCenter horticulturists, will be guest speakers at the EarthKind Rose Symposium on Saturday, April 11, at the American Rose Center in Greenwood.
Registration is $85 and includes garden admission, program materials, access to EarthKind specialists, lunch and snacks.
Owings will discuss EarthKind trials and results, and Gill’s topic is Hardy Companion Plantings for EarthKind Roses.
For more information, call (318) 938-5402, ext. 109.
Kilpatrick making presentations
Ricky Kilpatrick, area forestry agent, will be conducting Project Learning Tree (PLT) workshops for teachers in Provencal and for two education methods course students at LSUS in the coming weeks.
He was on Denise Chambers’ Coffee Break program at Bossier Parish Community College on March 24 to discuss forestry in northwest Louisiana.
Kilpatrick assisted with a forest biofuels workshop in Alexandria on March 31.
He will be conducting a tree care and maintenance workshop in conjunction with Shreveport Green on April 2 in Shreveport.
LSU AgCenter luncheon addresses how to safe while shopping online
When you go on a Web site, you need to be a detective and do a background check before shopping.
That was the message of Dora Ann Hatch, LSU AgCenter community rural development agent, who presented “Tips and Safety for Shopping Online” at the LSU AgCenter Lunch and Ag Discovery event on March 27 in Bossier City.
The Web site should give point of contact information that includes the name of the business and its physical address and phone number, Hatch said. “That is important if you have a problem.”
When asking for credit card information, the screen address should begin with https. Note the “s,” Hatch said. “If you don’t see the ‘s’ there, do not order.”
Only transact business on a secure line that is directly connected to the Internet, Hatch added.
Choose your password carefully, Hatch said. “Use an unpredictable combination of numbers, letters and symbols and don’t share your password with others.”
Never use your Social Security number as a password, she added.
Hatch suggested dedicating only one credit card for online transactions. “In case something happens, you can cancel that credit card.”
Never use a debit card, Hatch advised. “That is a direct line to your bank account.”
Check your credit card and bank statements for suspicious activity, Hatch said. “You may have a charge you didn’t initiate.”
Print a copy of your order and the confirmation number, Hatch said.
She said it is important to maintain anti-virus software and to read privacy policies. “Check ‘no’ when asked to share your information,” she said.
LSU AgCenter participates in Natchitoches Ag Day
The Natchitoches Parish Farm Bureau’s third annual Ag Day on Feb. 28 included booths and speakers from the LSU AgCenter.
Presenting activities for youth were Julia Campbell, David Yount, Lola Shuttleworth and Gwen Fontenot, while Vicky Chesser and Juanice Moses conducted nutrition activities for adults.
Community gardens active topic
Community gardening has been spotlighted on the KTBS morning news for the past several Wednesdays. Meteorologist Mark Rowlett is visiting the gardens and having Master Gardeners as guests.
Grace Peterson, assistant extension agent, appeared on the first segment.
Three women told their stories about starting a community garden and how it has made a difference in their neighborhoods during Celebration of Women Week by hosting a gathering in the Allendale Garden of Hope and Love. Other spring planting and celebration events have been scheduled on Saturdays at the five other gardens.
Peterson and Vicky Chesser, FNP regional coordinator, are still participating in the Metropolitan Planning Commission and Zoning Board discussions regarding food systems, food security and health and wellness as they relate to Shreveport’s master plan.
Chesser said the group was impressed with the FNP program and LSU AgCenter’s position as a resource to the process.
Access to healthy foods and neighborhood food markets are areas of increasing interest to community developers. Food-related economic development is an important component of sustainable communities, Chesser said.
4-H News
Area youth among essay contest winners for rural electric
4-H winners of this year’s Rural Electric Youth Tour Essay Contest are first place - Benjamin Fulton of DeSoto Parish and second place - Julie Barrios of Sabine Parish.
They will represent Louisiana 4-H among the 26 young people from all over the state participating in the Louisiana tour to the nation's capital on June 12 – 19. They also attended the Louisiana Electric Cooperative's Leadership Conference in Baton Rouge, March 25-27.
Jessica Taylor of Caddo Parish was second alternate. Casey Fox of Sabine Parish was a blue ribbon winner.
Chesapeake Energy sponsoring 4-H Camp scholarships
Chesapeake Energy is sponsoring 60 4-H Camp scholarships in six northwest Louisiana parishes.
These scholarships provide funding that will enable campers from an underprivileged, at-risk or low-income household to attend 2009 Summer Camp at Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center, said Eric Eskew, executive director of the Louisiana 4-H Foundation.
This program will pay for half of the registration fee ($55) for campers requiring assistance, provided the parish/camper finds matching funds for the other half, Eskew said.
The recipients must be from Caddo, Sabine, Red River, Webster, DeSoto or Bossier parish.
“The 4-H Camp scholarship program is one of many ways private companies can get involved with Louisiana 4-H,” Eskew said. “We are very appreciative of a company like Chesapeake that acknowledges that support for 4-H youth ultimately benefits the future of our state.”
Chesapeake also has been a sponsor of the Discovering Tomorrow’s Leaders awards in Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto and Red River parishes. Sixteen students in Caddo and Bossier were honored at their school, and the schools each received a computer. All winners were recognized at a banquet where four of the 16 received a laptop from a random drawing.
Discovering Tomorrow’s Leaders is still under way in DeSoto and Red River.
In addition, Chesapeake recently sponsored a tailgate party at 4-H Night at the Mudbugs hockey game.
Camp scholarship applications are available by contacting your local 4-H agent. Deadlines depend on which session campers attend but begin May 1.
4-H Camp, an educational program of the LSU AgCenter, strives to develop a variety of life skills related to head, heart, hands and health at a one-week summer camp.
Each summer, close to 5,000 youth in grades four through six from all 64 parishes attend the camp located near Pollock. In addition, there is a special one-week camp held the first week of August for seventh- and eighth-graders called Louisiana Outdoor Science and Technology Camp, otherwise known as LOST. LOST Camp focuses on rocketry, wetlands, energy, outdoor skills, GPS and forensic science.
If you or your business is interested in making a difference for 4-H youth, contact the Louisiana 4-H Foundation at (225) 578-1172 or www.la4hfoundation.org.
Nutrition Month recognized by 4-H kids
Amanda Roberts, a clinical dietitian at Natchitoches Regional Medical Center and a member of the Natchitoches Parish FCS Advisory Council, got the word out that March was National Nutrition Month.
The American Dietetic Association created the nutrition education and information campaign recognized annually around the United States.
The campaign focused on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits.
Roberts has been working with 4-H students by presenting a class called "Tasty Tidbits." In the class, she discusses the importance of proper nutrition, helps 4-H students with their record books and oversees their demonstrations.
"Make sure you keep eye contact with the judges and speak clearly," she says, as students prepare for a demonstration.
Students attending were Alex Rodriguez, Thomas Hailey, Leneigh Hennigan, Taylor Roberts, Austin Chester and Jessica Rodriguez.
Three students presented demonstrations on napkin folding, making an ice cream float and making bottled bread. They all included visual aids and involved the audience in their demonstration.
Hundreds attend 4-H Night with the Mudbugs
4-H Night with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs hockey team on March 7 provided fun and support of the youth development program.
The game was played at the CenturyTel Center in Bossier City. More than 700 tickets for 4-H’ers were sold, with $3 per ticket supporting 4-H camp and service learning projects, said Karen Martin, 4-H regional coordinator.
At the tailgate party, guests consumed pizzas and punch. Chesapeake Energy presented a $500 check for the pre-game festivity.
Ten 4-H’ers lined up on the ice to swing at a puck during the second intermission.
The Mudbugs lost to the Mississippi RiverKings 6-2 in front of 5,431 fans.
Calendar
March 31—Legislative Update in DeSoto
April 6—Legislative Update in Sabine
April 7—Legislative Update in Natchitoches
April 8—Legislative Update in Caddo