Friday, March 22

Nearly 200 Small Farmers attend 9th Annual Louisiana Small Farmer Conference

The Southern University Ag Center hosted the 9th Annual Louisiana Small Farmers Conference at the Felton G. Clark Activity Center March 14-16, 2019. Nearly 200 small farmers attended the conference.


Baton Rouge, La. – Grant Writing, Backyard Birds for the 21st Century, Value Added Products, Small Ruminant Reproduction, and Ag Technology…There’s an App for That: Staying Connected were among the topics covered during the 9th Annual Louisiana Small Farmer Conference.

One hundred and seventy-three small farmers from throughout Louisiana attended the three-day conference themed, “Unlocking Your Potential.” The event was held March 14-16, at the Felton G. Clark Activity Center on Southern University’s campus.

The first day of the conference provided small farmers with information on grant opportunities available to them through the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program, as well as information on the Southern University Ag Center’s four certification courses.
The second day of the conference began with an address from Louisiana’s Department of Agriculture and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain, DVM. The conference’s keynote address was delivered by Randolph Joseph, Jr., the Assistant State Conservationists for the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).
The day’s session included Aquaponics and Vertical Gardening, Raised Beds and Conventional Soil Amendments, Sustainability: Self-Sufficient Farming Practices, and Soil Health for Better Crops and Livestock. There was also a USDA Round Table Discussion which provided small farmers an opportunity to ask questions and learn about the programs available through the USDA.
The Louisiana Living Legends Banquet was held on the evening of March 15 following the conference’s sessions. This banquet honors individuals who have made significant contributions to Southern University in the areas of teaching, research, and extension.
The 2019 honorees were Dr. Gary C. Simon, Southern University Veterinarian and Professor of Animal Science (Teaching); Dr. Calvin Reuben Walker, Interim Chancellor-Dean of the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center and the College of Agricultural, Family, and Consumer Sciences (Research); and Terrence S. Marshall, retired County Agent for the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center (Extension).
The three join 27 others who have been honored with this recognition since 2005.  
Alisa Welsh, Principal of Madison Preparatory Academy, served as the speaker for the banquet.
The conference concluded with a Pasture Walk at Redwood Creek Cattle Farm in Ethel, La. During the walk, participants learned about electric fencing with a combination of barb wire, pasture management, cattle handling, cattle health and vaccination, record keeping, and toured the farmer’s calf daycare.
Photos from the conference are available here.

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Monday, March 18

Heart Health to be the focus of SU Ag Center’s 4th Personal Health Workshop

Event Flyer


Baton Rouge, La. - The Southern University Ag Center’s Family and Human Development Unit will host a free Personal Health History Workshop from 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. on April 5 at the Smith-Brown Memorial Student Union, 500 Jesse Stone Avenue on the campus of Southern University.

The workshop will feature sessions on:

·         Understanding Your Risks to Prevent a Heart Attack
·         Understanding Medicaid and Medicare
·         Eating for a Healthy Heart
·         Power of Attorney and Living Wills
·         Mental Health and Well-Being
·         Harmful Effects of Smoking
·         Healthy Tactics for Personal Safety and Security

This is the fourth personal health history workshop hosted by the SU Ag Center.

Pre-registration for the workshop is required no later than April 2, 2019, for attendees and March 28, 2019, for vendors. Online Registration is available here.

For additional information about the Personal Health History Workshop, email Milissia_jbaptiste@suagcenter.com or delores_johnson@suagcenter.com, or call 225-771-2583 or 225-771-3704.

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SU Ag Center, SBA set to host 15th Annual Procurement Conference



Baton Rouge, La. – Hundreds of current and potential small business owners will gather at the Felton G. Clark Activity Center on April 16 for the Southern University Ag Center’s 15th Annual ‘Connecting Businesses with Contracts’ Procurement Conference.

The event, which will be held from 8 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., will feature sessions on Marketing Your Business to the Federal Government; How to Get on a GSA Federal Supply Schedule; How to Get a Loan, Financing Options or Capital Access and International Trade/Export Financing; and Updated Tax Laws and Insurance Requirements. There will also be a procurement panel consisting of federal agencies and prime contractors who will discuss how you can do business with their respective agencies and companies.

The conference provides a venue for potential and existing business owners, contractors, non-profits, small towns, and municipalities to learn about the resources that are available through federal, state and local government agencies and prime companies.
                                                                                                                                       
Co-sponsors for the conference include the U. S. Small Business Administration, Louisiana Small Business Development Center at Southern University, Louisiana Economic Development (LED), and the Louisiana Procurement Technical Assistance Center (PTAC).

Online registration for the conference is available here.

For additional information, contact Eual Hall at 225.771.4105, Krystle Washington at 225.771.3902, or e-mail jo.lawrence3@sba.gov.  


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SU Ag Center holds successful 76th Annual Livestock Show

Tangipahoa Parish native, Mashayla Dyson's steer was named champion in the market steer category during the Southern University Ag Center's 76th Annual State Livestock and Poultry Show. The event was held Feb. 28 - March 2 at the Maurice A. Edmond Livestock Arena.

Baton Rouge, La. - For 76 years, the Southern University Ag Center has continued the tradition of providing an opportunity for youth, throughout Louisiana, to gain valuable knowledge and skills at its Annual State Livestock and Poultry Show. The event was held February 28 - March 2, 2019, at the Maurice A. Edmond Livestock Arena.

To qualify for the state show, competitors had to have won first place at a parish livestock show.

This year, 120 young people from 31 parishes showed 204 animals in various breeds of dairy and beef cattle, lamb, goat, and poultry.

“My uncle introduced me to raising and showing steers,” said Mashayla Dyson, who took home Champion in the Market Steer category. “I have been showing steers since I was 11-years-old and I have really grown to love raising the animals and showing them at Southern’s Livestock Show,” added the 18-year-old Tangipahoa Parish native. “I hope I’m able to continue doing this,” she said with a smile.

The Ag Center also holds a “Night with the Stars: Old Fashion Livestock Decorating Contest” during its Livestock Show.

This event is held on Friday after all the animals have been judged to give the participants an opportunity to have fun with their animal, one last time before the Jr. Auction on Saturday morning.

The 'Night with the Stars’ winners are:

Wyatt Sonnier, from Jefferson Davis Parish, in 1st place; Brady Hayes from Allen Parish, in second place and Camille Sonnier from Jefferson Davis in 3rd place.

The following is a list of additional winners in various livestock and poultry categories and their home parishes. Each winner received a premium, ribbon, rosette and trophy belt buckle.

Registered Dairy                  
Champion - Camille Sonnier, Jefferson Davis Parish
Reserve Champion - Cooper Holmes, Desoto Parish

Commercial Dairy
Champion - Camille Sonnier, Jefferson Davis Parish
Reserve Champion - Cooper Holmes, Desoto Parish

Dairy Showmanship                        
Champion - Kyle Sonnier, Jefferson Davis Parish
Reserve Champion - Camille Sonnier, Jefferson Davis Parish

Brahman Bull                                                           
Champion - Kenneth Rains, Sabine Parish
Reserve Champion - Caplan Young, Winn Parish

Non Brahman Bull                                                   
Champion Non-Brahman - Jackson Baham, Tangipahoa Parish
Reserve Champion - Micah Mclemore, Caddo Parish

Brahman Heifers                                          
Champion Brahman - Brendon Ford, Sabine Parish
Reserve Champ Brahman - Caplan Young, Winn Parish

Non Brahman Heifer                                   
Champion Non Brahman - Skylar Primm, Caddo Parish
Reserve Champion Non Brahman - Hailee Daigle, Ascension Parish

Commercial Heifer
Champion – Sophie Denison, Calcasieu Parish
Reserve Champion - Ricky Brumfield, Jr., Tangipahoa Parish

Beef Showmanship                                   
Champion - Jayson Herbert, Allen Parish
Reserve Champion - Hadley Lemons, Allen Parish

Market Steer                                         
Champion - Mashayla Dyson, Tangipahoa Parish
Reserve Champion - Hadley Lemons, Allen Parish

Market Lamb                                                   
Champion - Kandylynn Broughtn, Bossier Parish
Reserve Champion - Caroline Dupree, Bossier Parish

Market Lamb LA Bred                                    
LA Bred Champion - Ethien Butts, Bossier Parish                                           
LA Bred Reserve Champion - Max Norment, Claiborne Parish

Lamb Showmanship                                      
Champion - Max Norment, Claiborne Parish
Reserve Champion - Caroline Dupree, Bossier Parish

Market Goat                                         
Champion - Desiree Falgout, Ascension Parish
Reserve Champion - Max Norment, Claiborne Parish

Market Goat LA Bred                                     
LA Bred Champion - Desiree Falgout, Ascension Parish                                          
LA Bred Reserve Champion - Ava Chambers, Bossier Parish

Goat Showmanship                                     
Champion - Max Norment, Claiborne Parish
Reserve Champion - Hayden Daigle, Ascension Parish

Market Hog                                          
Champion - Ethan Foret, St. James Parish
Reserve Champion - Sophie Denison, Calcasieu Parish

Hog Showmanship                                        
Champion - Alexis Laiche, St. James Parish
Reserve Champion - Kensie Pellerin, Iberia Parish

Broiler                                                             
Champion - Laila Chenervert, Avoyelles Parish
Reserve Champion - Lillian Lofton, Avoyelles Parish

Broiler Premier Exhibitor                          
Grand Champion - Myles Sam, St. Landry Parish
Reserve Champion – Laila Chenervert, Avoyelles Parish

View photos from the 2019 Livestock and Poultry Show here


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Wednesday, March 13

Southern University Land-Grant Campus celebrates 25th Annual Collegiate Black History Quiz Bowl

The SU Land-Grant Campus celebrated its 25th annual Black History Quiz Bowl on February 28, 2019. The event was dedicated to the legacy of Dr. Raymond Lockett. 


Baton Rouge, La. – The 25th Annual Collegiate Black History Quiz Bowl was held on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. in the 3rd Floor Auditorium of T.T. Allain Hall.

Opening remarks for the event were given by Southern University Ag Center and College of Agriculture’s Interim Chancellor-Dean, C. Reuben Walker, Ph.D. Owusu Bandele, Ph.D., SU Land-Grant Campus Professor Emeritus and the Quiz Bowl’s creator, served as the event’s moderator.

Awards were presented to the winner by SU Ag Center’s Research Associate Erica Williams Mitchell.

The event was dedicated to the legacy of distinguished historian, professor and teacher Raymond Lockett, Ph.D.

Four teams of Southern University students competed in the competition.

Team Razzle Dazzlers consisting of Joyner Deamer, Jera’Nea Garner-Donald, Kelvin Wells and Jordan Wilson-Smith won 1st place; Team Power Rangers consisting of Alesha Bethea, Jalen John, William Waddell and Karriem Upshaw placed 2nd and Team Animal Science consisting of Samantha Jones, Tanisha Poston, Brittany Simon and Asiah Sasi placed 3rd. All three teams were made up of Southern University students.

The Black History Quiz Bowl is an exciting educational event that stimulates our students. The competition covers a variety of topics, including current events, politics, history, sports and entertainment.

The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners received medals and every participant received a book by or about some aspect of the Black experience.

For more information on the Black History Quiz Bowl contact Owusu Bandele, Ph.D. at obandele@cox.net.

Photos from the competition can be viewed here.

           
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SU Land-Grant Campus host successful High School Black History Quiz Bowl Championship

Episcopal High School's Umoja Team took home first place during the SU Land-Grant Campus' High School Black History Quiz Bowl Championship Competition on February 27.


Baton Rouge, La. – Six teams of high school students from McKinley Senior High, Scotlandville Magnet High, Southern University Lab, Episcopal and Indira Mira Institute competed in the Southern University Land-Grant Campus’s High School Black History Quiz Bowl Championship on Feb. 27, 2019. The competition was held in the 3rd Floor Auditorium of T.T. Allain Hall.

SU Ag Center’s Vice Chancellor for Extension, Dawn Mellion-Patin, Ph.D., provided the opening remarks for the event and SU Land-Grant Campus Professor Emeritus and Black History Quiz Bowl organizer, Owusu Bandele,Ph.D., served as the event’s moderator.

Awards were presented to the winners by SU Ag Center’s Research Associate, Erica Williams Mitchell.

Episcopal’s Umoja Team consisting of Justin Thompson, Madison Bell, Zykia Howard and Sean Moraes, took home 1st place; followed by Scotlandville’s Period T Team consisting of Bryce Hudson, Cadarius Moore, Trimell Carey, Neiyo Sumo and Johnny Williams in 2nd place and Indira Mira Institute’s Team BR.U.H.S. consisting of Jesscia Fisher, Naimah Frazier, Calista Joseph, Cyntrell Smith and Robert Joseph in 3rd place.
                                                                 
The competition covered a variety of topics including current events, politics, history, sports and entertainment.

Members of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams received medals and every participant received a book by or about some aspect of the Black experience.

Photos from the competition can be viewed here

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Middle School Students Compete in Black History Quiz Bowl Championship

McKinley Middle Magnet School's Sting Like A Bee Team placed first in the SU Land-Grant Campus' Middle School Black History Quiz Bowl on February 25, 2019.


Baton Rouge, La. – Teams of eager middle school students competed in the Southern University Land-Grant Campus’s Middle School Black History Quiz Bowl Championship on February 25 in T.T. Allain Hall’s 3rd Floor Auditorium.

Earlier in the month, SU Land-Grant Campus Professor Emeritus and Black History Quiz Bowl organizer, Owusu Bandele, Ph.D., conducted Black History Quiz Bowls at several schools throughout the parish. The first and second place teams from each school were invited to participant in the championship competition at Southern University.
           
Dr. Bandele served as the event’s moderator and NBC Local 33 Anchor Deon Guillory also served as a guest moderator for a round of the competition.

Awards were presented to the winners by SU Ag Center’s Research Associate, Erica Williams Mitchell.

McKinley Middle Magnet’s Sting Like A Bee Team took home 1st place; followed by Westdale Middle School’s Soul Train Team in 2nd place and Scotlandville Middle Pre-Engineering Academy’s Black Kulture Kids Team in 3rd place.

The competition covered a variety of topics including current events, politics, history, sports and entertainment.

Members of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place teams received medals and every participant received a book by or about some aspect of the Black experience.

Photos from the competition can be viewed here.

           
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