LDAF Summer Internships
The LDAF Student Internship Program allows students to gain valuable work experience in the fields of agriculture, forestry, and other related fields.
Students will have the opportunity to work full-time during June and July for eight weeks. Applications are being accepted from December 1 until February 28, or until all positions are filled. The selected Students will be hired to work in LDAF Divisions which include the Office of Management & Finance, Agriculture & Environmental Services, Animal Health & Food Safety, Forestry, Soil & Water Conservation, Agro-Consumer Services, and related areas.
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State of the State: Water the Top Topic for Louisiana Ag in 2023
Water is both a blessing and a curse for farmers in the fertile soils of the Mississippi Delta. Quality, quantity and availability see silent shifts from year to year and add to the thrilling challenge of growing good crops in one of nature’s most unpredictable environments.
“Water is king,” said Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain. “What did Mark Twain say about water? ‘Whiskey is for drinking and water is for fighting’ – think about that.”
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LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain named to National Advisory Council Subcommittee for FEMA
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M., has been appointed to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National Advisory Council Subcommittee on Planning for Animal Welfare (PAW). This Council will advise the FEMA Administrator on all matters related to emergency management and animal welfare.
“I am very honored by this appointment,” said LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M. “In Louisiana, we have been focused on creating new policies to help with the protection of animals during an emergency since Hurricane Katrina.
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West Feliciana Parish Man Arrested For Theft Of Livestock
On April 16, inspectors with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission arrested Eric M. Harris of Weyanoke, Louisiana, for theft of three head of livestock.
The arrest was the result of a brand commission investigation which determined that in August of 2023, 37-year-old Harris sold and was paid for three head of livestock from a West Feliciana cattle producer.
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Why Louisiana Urgently Needs The Greenfield Wallace Facility
Louisiana stands on the brink of a significant economic opportunity—one that promises to reinforce our leading role in global agriculture while profoundly benefiting local communities. The proposed Greenfield Wallace Grain Export Facility is poised to enhance the Port of South Louisiana, increasing its already dominant status in grain exports by approximately 10%. This isn’t just growth; it’s transformational change that secures our agricultural future and bolsters our national food security.
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USDA Seeking Partners For Summer Food Service Program
For many families whose children receive free or reduced breakfast and lunch during the school year, summer can be a time of food insecurity. To combat this problem, each year the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) participates in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) in collaboration with the Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
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DeSoto Parish Man Arrested For Theft Of Timber
On March 26, 2024, Michael Whitaker of Mansfield, LA, was arrested for theft of timber following an investigation by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Forestry Enforcement Division.
In January 2024, LDAF Forestry Enforcement received a complaint of possible timber theft in DeSoto Parish.
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Tangipahoa Parish Man Arrested For Theft Of Livestock
On March 19, 2023, inspectors with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission arrested Mufid Thabatah of Hammond, Louisiana, for theft of 168 head of livestock.
The arrest was the result of a brand commission investigation that determined that on eight different occasions between September and November of 2023, 52-year-old Thabatah received livestock from a livestock market in Tangipahoa Parish but allegedly failed to pay for them in a timely manner.
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Attorney General Murrill Supports Ag Commissioner's Concerns On Net-Zero Banking Alliance's Impact On Agriculture & Food Security
Net-Zero agriculture would cut meat consumption in half, force Louisiana's 30,000 farm operations to switch to inefficient electric equipment, and require some eight million acres of farmland across our State to switch from nitrogen fertilizer to expensive and ineffective "organic" options.
That’s why Attorney General Liz Murrill is standing with the Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, Dr. Mike Strain, along with other attorneys general across the country, in pushing back against the Net-Zero Banking Alliance that threatens our food security and the work of our farmers.
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Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction has Three Inductees in 2024 Class
Three individuals who have made contributions to advancing agriculture in Louisiana are the newest inductees into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction. One inductee, former North Louisiana Congressman and Physician Dr. Ralph Abraham served the largest agricultural district in the nation.
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LDAF's Livestock Brand Commission To Host Saddle Microchipping Event March 14
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF) Livestock Brand Commission will host its next saddle microchipping event Thursday, March 14, from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. It will be held at Sullivan’s Feed and Farm Supply located at 3236 Front Street in Winnsboro, Louisiana.
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LA Agriculture Hall Of Distinction To Induct Thee New Members March 7
A medical doctor and former U.S. congressman, a crop consultant with a weed science background and a longtime Southern University administrator are the latest inductees into the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction. The induction will take place at the L’Auberge Hotel in Baton Rouge March 7.
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Strain Urges USDA To Aid Crawfish Industry
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) urges the federal government to aid Louisiana’s crawfish industry after an unprecedented drought.
On February 2, LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, DVM, wrote a letter to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack asking that the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP) and/or similar programs be properly funded and instituted to assist the crawfish industry.
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Officials Urging Louisianans to Use Extreme Caution Due to Dry and Windy Conditions When Lighting Anything on Fire
State officials are urging residents to be extremely cautious about lighting anything on fire after dry and windy conditions contributed to a record number of wildfires over four days. State Agricultural and Forestry Commissioner Mike Strain said from Friday to Monday there were 124 fires in Louisiana.
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Mornings With Brian Haldane: Dr. Mike Strain
Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain joins Brian to talk crawfish prices, strawberry season and the news back from his recent trip to Cuba.
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