Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I'm going to take a break from blogging and enjoy the season. Hope you do too. Don't forget there are so many wonderful things you can do at Christmas time that involve family and agritourism.

On-farm food safety research helps Louisiana growers comply with new law

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) is one of the sweeping reforms of U.S. food safety laws in
more than 70 years. The main focus of the act is to reduce foodborne hazards by preventing microbial contamination during production, processing, handling and transportation of food rather than relying on correction after problems occur. Under FSMA, “FDA will have a legislative mandate to require comprehensive, science-based preventive controls across the food supply.”

To read more, click here.

Register for NAFDMA

SAVE NOW as Early Registration ends December 15th

for NAFDMA's 31st Annual Convention 

to be held in 

British Columbia, Canada from Jan. 31st - Feb. 6th.

To Register, Please click here or go to www.farmersinspired.com/Convention

The Educational Program will highlight many aspects of the Industry featured in a variety of 

 General Sessions, Concurrent Sessions, and On & Off-Site Workshops.

The Educational Program is being updated regularly, so please keep your eye on the

Education Page of the Convention Website 

for session & workshop descriptions and speaker biographies.

Every NAFDMA Convention provides endless opportunities to learn and have fun with your peer members.

Christmas in the Crevasse Opens in LaPlace

Christmas in the Crevasse is now open featuring hayrides on 5 acres of farm land with over 70 lighted Christmas frames on display in LaPlace. The event takes place at the corner of Louisiana and Shadowbrook, three blocks off McReine Road (street across from River Forest Subdivision). Christmas in the Crevasse is open every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 6-10 p.m., until January 1. Closed in the event of rain. Admission is $2 for children under 3; ages 3 to 93 is $5. The hayrides last approximately half an hour and depart every 15 minutes. Get a “Taste of St. John” with hot chocolate, coffee or apple juice and snacks for a small fee. Proceeds benefit Greater New Orleans Therapeutic Riding Center. Bathroom facilities are available. No reservations needed. Tour groups and corporate events may make reservations during the week. There is a coloring contest for three age groups up to 12 years of age. Entries can be picked up at Christmas in the Crevasse, Jacob's Andouille and A Storage Inn on Highway 51 or may be downloaded from Christmas in the Crevasse Facebook Page. Entries can be returned to Christmas in the Crevasse or mailed to P.O. Box 5095 in LaPlace, LA 70069. Entries are due on Saturday, December 19 and will be awarded on December 22. For more information, call 985 346-3709, or find us on Facebook.

Louisiana Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association Website

LSU AgCenter horticulture pathologist Melanie Lewis Ivey and AgCenter vegetable specialist Kiki Fontenot recently launched the Louisiana Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association website (www.lsu.edu/LFVGA) to provide information on research projects, diseases, production and upcoming events.

The website was funded by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture-National Institute of Food and Agriculture Crop Protection and Pest Management Grants Project with support from the Louisiana Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.

To learn more, click here.

Ecotourism Workshop in Jonesville

The LSU AgCenter, National Audubon Society and Louisiana Delta Adventures will host an ecotourism workshop on Dec. 16 at the Honey Brake Lodge in Jonesville.


The daylong workshop will feature an overview of wildlife viewing opportunities in northeast Louisiana and strategies for managing land for wildlife. Attendees will also learn about promoting themselves as an ecotourism operator, legal issues and incentive programs.



A tour of the Honey Brake property, a premier ecotourism destination in the region, will take place in the afternoon.

RSVP by Dec. 11 to Erik Johnson at ejohnson@audubon.org.