Community Supported Agriculture

If you llike to grow vegetables consider "community supported agriculture." CSA's help the farmer share the cost of planting and harvest with members or shareholders and those members or shareholders receive fresh, homegrown fruits and vegetables in return for their money.

Local Harvest has 22 Louisiana listings for community supported agriculture. Click here to learn more.

CSA's are eligible for coverage under the Louisiana Agritourism Limited Liability Law. Click here to learn more or contact Dora Ann Hatch with the LSU AgCenter at dhatch@agcenter.lsu.edu

Farmers told to expect flood disaster aid

Louisiana agriculture has been hard hit with the recent flooding. My hearts go out to each of you as you battle restoring your life to normalcy.

If you have been affected by the recent floods, please read the attached article so that you can seek economic compensation. Click here to learn more.

Food Safety Modernization Act Class in Baton Rouge; Register by August 25, 2016

The LSU AgCenter will host a three-day course on food safety regulations and best practices for preventing contamination on Aug. 29-31.

All class meetings will be held in 212 Efferson Hall on the LSU campus. The first two days will run from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. with breaks for coffee and lunch. The third day will finish by noon.

Those planning to attend must register by Aug. 25. Individuals can register online by going to store.lsuagcenter.com/events and selecting the “FSPCA Preventative Controls for Human Food” course option. The fee is $595 and includes all course materials and a certificate.Attendees will hear from AgCenter and Food and Drug Administration experts about Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) regulations that require certain activities to be performed by people trained in foodborne illness prevention. The course will cover developing food safety and recall plans, keeping good records and analyzing hazards.

The curriculum was developed by the Food Safety Preventive Controls Alliance and is recognized by the FDA, said AgCenter food safety specialist Achyut Adhikari. Participants who complete the course will receive a certificate that meets the FDA requirement for preventive controls qualified individuals.

For questions about registration, contact Celika Murphy at CMurhpy@agcenter.lsu.edu or 225-578-4475. Questions about course content should be directed to Adhikari at ACAdhikari@agcenter.lsu.edu or 225-578-2529.

Look for Agritourism Opportunities When You Travel

My husband and I spent our summer vacation in the Carolinas this year. We stopped in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina at tourism centers to ask about agritourism venues. Many of the states had agritourism listings in their tourism promotional materials.

One of our most memorable stops was in Waynesville, North Carolina where we visited Barber's Orchard Fruit Stand. The Barbers have been in business since 1932 and their stand was directly across from their apple orchard.  We bought some apples and enjoyed them on our return home.

USDA Announces national Farmers Market Week

National Farmers Market Week is August 7-13, 2016! AMS has created branding to help farmers market managers promote their celebrations and build recognition of National Farmers Market Week. These branding graphics can be used to make posters, emails, buttons, and much more. We’re offering two color options: full-color, or a single-color (brown) format that can work as a neutral for markets with established branding.