Few people know both sugarcane and sugarbeets as well as Charley Richard (pronounced Ree-shard) of New Orleans, Louisiana, who works in both the beet and cane side of the American sugar industry. Roughly half of sugar grown in the United States comes from sugarbeets…
Louisiana sugarcane
Sugarcane Field Days and Lauden-Jackson Scholarship
As July rolls around, Louisiana’s sugarcane “grand growth stage” is well underway. In tropical regions, the grand growth stage can last for five to eight months, but Louisiana’s sugar producers don’t have the luxury of a long growing season. We must produce our…
Producing Sugar Sustainably on Earth Day, and Every Day
Earth Day is a day to celebrate our planet and bring awareness to the part that we all play in making the world a more sustainable place. As stewards of the land, sugar farmers have been investing in a healthier planet for generations. They’re protecting the land…
National farm policy experts to address Louisiana sugarcane group
Robert Johansson and Allison Crittenden, two nationally recognized experts on American sugar policy and farm bill issues, will address the February 8 meeting of the American Sugar Cane League at L’Auberge Casino and Hotel in Baton Rouge. The League meeting is in…
AgCenter hosts Assumption Parish sugarcane field day
(10/27/21) NAPOLEONVILLE, La. — The LSU AgCenter hosted a sugarcane field day at Dugas Farm, Inc. on Oct. 20 in Assumption Parish. The field day was supported by the Patrick F. Taylor Foundation. The Taylor Foundation awarded a grant to the LSU AgCenter to fund a…
Predicting the sugarcane harvest – no easy task
The sugarcane crop is ready to harvest, and Louisiana’s 11 sugar mills are grinding cane 24 hours a day. About 15.5 million tons of cane is expected to be harvested this year. Based on past performance, the United States Department of Agriculture’s World Agricultural…
LSU AgCenter assessing damage from Hurricane Ida, injury to agriculture could be extensive
(09/02/21) BATON ROUGE, La. — LSU AgCenter agents are beginning the arduous task of damage assessment and recovery from Hurricane Ida. Given the geographic area affected, the biggest economic impact is likely to be to agricultural infrastructure and timber, said Kurt…
Lesson plan: examining how sugar transforms baked goods
Most people don’t know why sugar is in the foods they eat or recipes they make, but sugar’s unique versatility makes it an essential functional ingredient in many of the foods we eat. This lesson plan from the Home Baking Association helps students identify the many…
Pointe Coupee hosts its first sugarcane field day
In yet another sign that our society is inching back to a pre-pandemic “normal,” the LSU AgCenter hosted a sugarcane field day in Pointe Coupee Parish the first week of June. It was the first in-person field day for sugarcane since the pandemic began. More than 60…








