There's also a link to The Sugar Bulletin, the League's monthly magazine, and its advertising rates and subscrption information. The Sugar Bulletin has been published since 1922 and you can research the sugar industry archives by clicking here or in the drop list to the left. The American Society of Sugar Cane Technologists archives are also available.
More than 60 hours of subfreezing temperatures, including lows in the mid- to lower teens in the northern region of the Louisiana sugarcane belt, has many growers concerned about the effects it will have on next year’s crop. LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist Kenneth Gravois has been monitoring the situation across the growing area and is optimistic the damage is…
The 2020-21 Louisiana sugarcane crop is almost complete after four months of grinding, and it appears the crop will set a record. “We’re going to produce almost 2 million tons of sugar. That’s a record for Louisiana,” said Kenneth Gravois, LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist. By Bruce Schultz, LSU AgCenter Harvest started in September and continued for almost 125 consecutive…
In parishes across south Louisiana, fall signals the start of “grinding season” — the time when farmers harvest their sugarcane crop and carry it to one of 11 mills where it is processed into raw sugar and molasses. Most of the cane that makes its way to these mills are varieties developed by LSU AgCenter researchers. By Tobie Blanchard,…
(09/03/20) BATON ROUGE, La. — One week after Hurricane Laura came ashore, Louisiana’s sugarcane crop is still showing some signs of the storm, but the damage is not as extensive as feared as Laura approached the state. By Kenneth Gautreaux, LSU AgCenter “We did have storm surge — maybe not to the extent with Hurricane Rita, but we do…
08/28/20) SOUTHWEST LOUISIANA —Although definitive results won’t be available for a few days, the effects on agriculture appear to be less destructive than most people feared before Hurricane Laura struck, but forests and residences sustained significant damage. By Bruce Schultz, LSU AgCenter Reporter Blair Hebert, LSU AgCenter agent for sugarcane in the Bayou Teche area, said cane plants have…
Jim Simon of the American Sugar Cane League provides an update on issues related to the Louisiana sugar industry for the 2020 LSU AgCenter Sugarcane Virtual Field Day. Additional information associated with the field day can be found at www.lsuagcenter.com/sugarcanefieldday.
The threat of the Covid-19 pandemic has altered the way sugarcane researchers conduct the annual informational field days. The presentations the researchers present on the field tours have been moved to the Internet and you can watch the results of their work online at your convenience. CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PRESENTATIONS
The LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist said farmers are pleased with the progress of the current crop. By Bruce Schultz, LSU AgCenter Kenneth Gravois said farmers have benefitted from favorable weather and good growing conditions since planting last summer and fall. “The best thing for the 2020 crop happened in November and December with a relatively dry harvest season for…
Kenneth Gravois, LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist, said the muddy 2018 harvest affected the recent sugarcane crop with reduced cane tonnage. “It was a light crop,” Gravois said. “Anytime you have a muddy harvest in the previous year, you have a hangover effect into the next year.” The average yield was 30 tons per acre statewide, compared to 39…
(09/11/19) BATON ROUGE, La. — The LSU AgCenter has appointed Jeff Hoy as the new resident coordinator at its Sugar Research Station at St. Gabriel. Hoy, who is a plant pathologist, has been employed by the AgCenter for the past 35 years. He said in this new position, 40% of his time will be dedicated to the administration duties…
(09/17/19) BATON ROUGE, La. — Sugarcane and the Gay family are intertwined with the landscape of south Louisiana. Since the 1850s, the family has farmed the area, with sugarcane being the dominant crop. In order to keep this industry viable, the Gay family is endowing a second professorship and creating an internship for work in sugarcane variety development. The…
Sugarcane planting is underway in the industry and a struggle as usual. If there should be a window between planting and harvest (or during early harvest), it would be a good time to sample old stubble fields and test for ratoon stunting disease (RSD). This disease that caused serious losses for so many years is fortunately now at low…
