Monday, June 10

SU Ag Center to Teach Youth Healthy Cooking Skills During Summer Camp



Baton Rouge, La.The Southern University Ag Center is now accepting applications for its “Creating Healthy Enjoyable Foods” (C.H.E.F.) youth cooking camps in parishes around the state.
                                                                     
The C.H.E.F. camps are designed to teach youth basic cooking principles and nutrition education based on the USDA’s, “MyPlate” food guidance system and Dietary Guidelines.

Each day, participants will work together to create an entire meal while learning healthy eating and physical activity principles, food preparation, kitchen and food safety, common cooking terms, proper food handling, measuring techniques, critical thinking and team building skills, planning and time management.

Camps will be held in the following parishes and locations:

East Baton Rouge Parish
July 15 – 19, 2019  (Ages 9 – 11)

July 22 – 26, 2019 (Ages 12 – 15)
Registration fee: $35.00 (Same fee for both camps.)
Camp Location: Pinkie E. Thrift Hall on the Southern University Baton Rouge campus
Contact: Marquetta Anderson at 225-389-3056.


SARDI (St. Landry Parish)
Healthy Living Summer Academy
*Cooking Camp is free and will be incorporated into this academy
June 3 – 28, 2019
Contact Angell Jordan at 337-943-2410.

Morehouse Parish
July 22 – 26, 2019
Registration Fee:  $20.00
Contact Marianna Langston at 318-368-9935.


East Carroll Parish
June 17 – 21, 2019
Contact Carolyn Robinson at 318-559-0060.

West Carroll Parish
June 24 – 28, 2019
Contact Carolyn Robinson at 318-428-3571.


DeSoto Parish
June 17 - 21, 2019
Contact Patricia Lee at 318-872-0533.

St. James Parish
July 15 – 19, 2019
Registration Fee: $30.00
Camp Location: Housing Learning Center, 8234 Mills Street, St. James, La 70086
Contact Lisa Weber at 225-562-2320, 225-445-7719 or lisa_weber@suagcenter.com.

Madison Parish
June 18-21, 2019
Camp Location: Madison/ Tallulah Charter

June 24-28, 2019
Camp Location: Madison High School Family consumer Lab. 
Contact Sarah Sims at 318-574-2465.


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Thursday, June 6

SU Ag Center gears up for the 2019 Family and Youth Expo



Registration is currently open

Baton Rouge, La.Registration is currently open for the Southern University Ag Center’s 2019 Family and Youth Exposition. The interactive event will be held June 28-29, 2019 at the SU Agricultural Multipurpose Building, 14600 Scenic Hwy.

The expo, themed Healthy Options to Promote Excellence: Plant, Grow, Nurture, Harvest, Sustain, is free and open to all youth in 8th – 12th grade.

The event will include a lock-in, interactive learning activities, a live DJ, food and refreshments.



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SU Ag Center Postpones St. Helena Parish Ag Day

Event Flyer


Baton Rouge, La. – The Southern University Ag Center has postponed its’ St. Helena Parish Ag Day, which was scheduled for June 7, at the Fifth Ward Recreation Center, 31676 Hwy. 16, in Amite, Louisiana.

A new date for the Ag Day will be announced at a later time.

The event was postponed due to inclement weather expected for June 7.

For additional information contact Burnell Muse at 225-222-4136 or via email at burnall_muse@suagcenter.com.

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Wednesday, June 5

SU Ag Center to host Safety Training for Alexandria Area Produce Growers

Event Flyer


Baton Rouge, La.The Southern University Ag Center will host a Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training in Alexandria, LA from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on June 12 and a Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Workshop from 8:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. on June 13.

Both events will be held at the Rapides Parish Extension Office, 300 Grady Britt Drive.

The SU Ag Center has been holding safety trainings to help produce growers comply with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Produce Safety Rule that is part of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). This rule sets standards for growing, harvesting, packing and storing fruits and vegetables to prevent foodborne illness. It addresses water quality, composting, farm personnel health and hygiene and equipment sanitation among other issues. 

Registration for the training is $20 and will include resource materials and lunch.

Individuals can register online by clicking here, or by contacting Emily King at 225-771-3705 or via email at emily_king@suagcenter.com or Bahia Nightengale at 318-441-3408 or via email at bnightengale@cenla.org.

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Tuesday, June 4

SU Ag Center receives $50,000 donation to conduct research on water pollution

Standing from left, SU-ANSWERS and Apollo Water, Inc. scientist Clifton Roe and SU Ag Center Vice Chancellor for Research Andra Johnson, Ph.D., pose for photos after a laboratory demonstration on clean water technologies on May 15.



Baton Rouge, La. – The Southern University Ag Center’s Air, Nutrient, Soils, Water, Ecosystem and Remote Sensing (SU-ANSWERS) Institute has received a $50,000 check by an anonymous donor to support student training and research on water pollution.
                          
The check was presented to Andra Johnson, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Research at the SU Ag Center, on May 15, 2019, during a reception in the Chancellor’s Conference Room of Fisher Hall.

The reception followed a laboratory demonstration on new clean water technologies conducted by scientists from SU-ANSWERS and the Apollo Water, Inc., Clifton Roe and Linda Schweitzer, Ph.D. The Apollo Water, Inc. is one of the Institute’s partners.

The demonstration was attended by local citizens, students from the College of Agricultural, Family and Consumer Sciences, representatives from Shell Global Industries and other donor organizations.

The mission of the SU-ANSWERS Institute is to promote natural and biological resources conservation through research, education, and service to communities both in urban and rural settings. The mission is achieved by conducting cutting edge research focusing on natural and biological resources, providing hands-on research training and experiential learning to the next generation of leaders in natural resources, utilizing research results and analytical laboratories to provide technical services to the communities, and promoting scientific collaboration and partnership building at state, regional, national, and international levels.

The SU-ANSWERS Institute is led by Johnson and the Institute’s Director Zhu Ning, Ph.D.
                                                
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SU Ag Center set to host St. Helena Parish Ag Day on June 7

Event Flyer


Baton Rouge, La. – The Southern University Ag Center will host the St. Helena Parish Ag Day on June 7 at the Fifth Ward Recreation Center, 31676 Hwy. 16, in Amite, Louisiana.

The Ag Day will include farm tours, a petting zoo, interactive workshops on vertical gardening and edible landscapes.

There will also be hands-on demonstrations on:

·         Raising Backyard Poultry
·         Hibiscus Transplanting
·         Building a Hydroponic System

“This event is being held so farmers can showcase the activities on their farms and for the kids to see what actually happens on a farm, where their food comes from and the process involved in growing food,” said Burnell Muse, SU Ag Center Extension Agent and Event Coordinator.

The Ag Day is co-sponsored by the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Program and the LSU AgCenter.

For additional information on the St. Helena Ag Day, contact Burnell Muse at 225-222-4136 or via email at burnell_muse@suagcenter.com.

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Monday, June 3

SU Ag Center Uses Hydroponic Growing System to Teach Students and Urban Entrepreneurs to Grow Crops with Limited Growing Space

SU Ag Center's Vice Chancellor for Research, Andra Johnson, Ph.D., inspects lettuce grown in the Center's Hydroponic Growing System.


Baton Rouge, La. – Andra Johnson, Ph.D., the Vice Chancellor for Research and Technology Development at the Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center, along with a team of SU Ag Center scientists, have partnered with Tera Vega to conduct research on a new Hydroponic Growing System.

Hydroponics is a process of growing plants without soil in either sand, gravel or liquid.

Through this research, students are being trained on new technologies that will maximize crop production with limited space.

Professor of Urban Forestry Yemane Ghebreiyessus, Ph.D., and Senior Research Associate Milagro Berhane are working to perfect the system with aspirations of teaching potential urban entrepreneurs how to effectively grow crops in areas with limited space and generate personal and community wealth opportunities.

For additional information about this research project, contact Milagro Berhane at milagro_berhane@suagcenter.com or Yemane Ghebreiyessus, Ph.D., at yemane_ghebreiyessus@suagcenter.com.
               
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