USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator to hold stakeholder conference call

Baton Rouge, La – You are invited to join USDA Farm Service Agency Administrator, Val Dolcini, for a stakeholder conference call on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014 at 2:00 pm, to review Secretary Vilsack’s announcement last week regarding the new Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).  The new options, created by the 2014 Farm Bill, provide greater coverage for losses when natural disasters affect specialty crops such as vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, floriculture, ornamental nursery, aquaculture, turf grass, ginseng, honey, syrup, and energy crops.  Free basic coverage plans and premium discounts available for new, underserved and limited income farmers. If the application deadline for an eligible crop has already passed, producers will have until Jan. 14, 2015, to choose expanded coverage

This is a conference call. 

WHO: Val Dolcini, Administrator, USDA Farm Service Agency 

Mike Schmidt, Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs

WHAT:   USDA Administrator Dolcini will host a stakeholder conference call to provide information on the new Non-insured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.

WHEN: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2014 at 2:00 p.m., EDT.

DIAL: 1-888-844-9904

Access code: 5411576

RSVP: Not required, but requested: todd.atkinson@wdc.usda.gov

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Deadline For Nominations To Agriculture Hall of Distinction Approaching

Baton Rouge, LA - The nomination deadline for induction into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction is Monday, Dec. 15. The inductees will be recognized at a reception and dinner at White Oak Plantation in Baton Rouge on March 5, 2015. 

The nomination form can be obtained online at www.louisianaagriculturehallofdistinction.com  or through a parish SU/LSU AgCenter extension office. 

The Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction is a joint effort of the LSU AgCenter, Louisiana Radio Network and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry and is designed to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to agriculture or agriculture-related industries. Nominations can represent farming, ranching, forestry, aquaculture, fisheries, education or agribusiness. 

This is the second year for the hall of distinction program. Last year, Dennis Aucoin, a logger from Clinton, Clarence Berken, a rice farmer from Lake Arthur, and the late Ellis S. Martin, a forester from Alexandria, were the inductees. 

For more information, contact Don Molino with Louisiana Radio Network at 225-291-2727, ext. 210, or don@louisianaradionetwork.com or Bobby Soileau with the LSU AgCenter at 225-578-3659 or bsoileau@agcenter.lsu.edu. 

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USDA Extends Application Deadline for Dairy Margin Protection Program to Dec. 19

Baton Rouge, LA - U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has announced that the application deadline for the dairy Margin Protection Program (MPP) will be extended until Dec. 19, 2014. The program, established by the 2014 Farm Bill, protects participating dairy producers when the margin - the difference between the price of milk and feed costs - falls below levels of protection selected by the applicant.

"The 2014 Farm Bill created these safety net programs to provide safeguards against the uncertainty of weather and markets, but this safety net is not automatic. Producers must visit their local Farm Service Agency office to enroll before December 19," said Vilsack. "Despite the best forecasts, weather and markets can change, so a modest investment today can protect against unexpected losses tomorrow."

"For just $100, a farmer can cover 90 percent of production at $4 margin swings, and with affordable incremental premiums, dairy farmers can cover up to $8 margin swings," said Vilsack. "Those who apply this year will receive a slight increase in production protection that will not be available in the future. Farmers who do not sign up for the Margin Protection Program for 2015 will forfeit the 1 percent base production increase. For a 400 cow operation, this would equate to an additional 80,000 pounds of milk that are eligible for coverage. It's a small step to take to ensure your business is covered."

Vilsack encourages producers to use the online Web resource at, http://www.fsa.usda.gov/mpptool 
to calculate the best levels of coverage for their dairy operation. They can type in specific operation data and explore price projections and market scenarios to determine what level of coverage is best for them. They can also compare the data to see how the program would have helped in previous years, such as 2008, when margins dropped from $8 to $3 in just three months. The online resource is on a secure website that can be accessed from computers, mobile phones or tablets, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.  

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Bright Futures Community Learning Center Starts a Fall Garden

Baton Rouge, LA - Students at the Bright Futures Community Learning Center in Donaldsonville, LA were eager to get started planting their fall garden. Everyone played their part from assembling the raised beds, shoveling dirt, planting, watering the plants, hauling dirt with the wheel barrow and snapping pictures to the clean – up of the area after the activity was completed. 

Despite the threats of rain, the students completed the garden and are looking forward to taking care of and harvesting it. The students and volunteers planted red cabbage, green onions, strawberries, lettuce, and other fall vegetables. 

Garden participants are taught Nutrition Education by Lisa Weber and will utilize the harvest of the garden in Nutrition Education classes, as well as, for after school snacks.  

The garden was facilitated by Southern University Ag Center's Stephanie Elwood, Extension Associate in Community Gardens; Lisa Weber, Nutrition Educator and led by De’Shoin Friendship York, Nutrition Specialist. The project's start date was November 5, 2014. Other adult volunteers included Joyce Gaignard, Michael Chatman and Harold Gaignard. 

Bright Futures Community Learning Center, which is run by Donna Gaignard, CEO,  serves an average of 60 students who are enrolled in summer programs, after-school activities and tutoring. 

For more information about the project, contact Lisa Weber at 225-562-2326 or lisa_weber@suagcenter.com.

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SU Ag Center 4-H Program to Receive $75,200 Award from the National 4-H Council

Baton Rouge, LA - The Southern University Ag Center's 4-H Living Interactive Family Education (LIFE) National Mentoring Program has received an award in the amount of $75,200 from the National 4-H Council, funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP).

"This amount is based on your requested award amount and the projected youth reach in your submitted proposal, which Council has reviewed and recommended for funding," stated Sally Miske, National 4-H Financial Management Director, in a letter informing the Ag Center of the council's intention to fund the program.

The SU Ag Center's 4-H LIFE program seeks to rebuild broken family units who have been impacted by parental incarceration.  The 4-H National Mentoring project engages youth ages 5 to 17 in interactive family activities that include the incarcerated parent and the caregiver.  The program is continuing its implementation in both East Baton Rouge and St. Landry Parishes. 

For additional information about the Southern University Ag Center's 4-H LIFE program contact Tiffany Wilkerson-Franklin, Program Coordinator, tiffany_franklin@suagcenter.com or  Milissia John-Baptiste, Program Assistant, milissia_jbaptiste@suagcenter.com, at 225-771-2242.

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SU Ag Center to Host 'Santa’s Healthy Living Workshop' in St. Helena Parish

Greensburg, LA - The Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center (SUAREC) will host its first 'Santa's Healthy Living Workshop' on Friday, December 12, 2014 at the Forest Festival Park in Greensburg, LA. The workshop will follow the town's Annual Christmas Parade.

During the workshop, young Christmas enthusiast will create healthy, edible arts and crafts in an effort to promote healthy snacking habits and teach youth about the benefits of eating healthy foods.

Teens between the ages of 13 -18 will have the opportunity to learn about the benefits of becoming an Ambassador for the SUAREC's Healthy Living Initiative for Youth and many ways they can join in on the "Healthy Fun!"

For more information, contact Nicolette Gordon in St. Helena Parish on Tuesday and Thursday at, 225-222-4136 and in Tangipahoa Parish on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at, 985-748-9381.

This article was written by Nicolette Gordon, Assistant Area Agent for St. Helena and Tangipahoa Parishes.

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