When Dr. Matt Foster steps into a sugarcane field, he’s not just checking rows of cane, he is on the lookout for anything that might threaten the crop that defines South Louisiana. Foster grew up in Vidalia, Louisiana, where his first job in agriculture was working…
Each year, sugarcane and sugarbeet farmers, millers and refiners set aside their daily work, swap their muddy boots for dress shoes and step into the historic halls of Capitol Hill. Again, this year the American Sugar Cane League joined forces with the American Sugar…
Unmanned aircraft, also known as drones, have several uses in farming operations. One use that continues to increase is the application of pesticides and plant growth regulators. Drones can apply crop products precisely in areas where aircraft travel is difficult….
An agriculture expert says this year’s Louisiana sugarcane crop had great growing conditions although Hurricane Francine’s strong winds damaged some crops. An estimated two million tons of sugar is expected to be produced from this year’s crops. “Acreage increased…
Taking the place of a 40-year veteran of the Louisiana sugarcane industry is no small task, so when LSU AgCenter plant pathologist Andre Gama replaced longtime researcher Jeff Hoy, he knew he had big shoes to fill. Due to his extensive travels, Gama’s own shoes were…
The American Sugar Cane League has hired Cheryl Michelet who will be the next public relations director in the organization. She will work closely with Sam Irwin who recently announced his retirement from the League in February of 2025 after 13 years of service….
Louisiana’s sugar farmers and millers have been producing a reliable source of America’s favorite ingredient for centuries but so have our foreign competitors. Our producers thrive in the face of adversity. We grow a profitable crop in nine months while the rest of…
Despite 2023’s drought, Louisiana’s landowners, sugarcane producers and millers continue to have confidence in sugarcane in 2024. Kenneth Gravois, the LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist, is not surprised. “There are two factors for the continued increase in sugarcane…
The nation’s sugar farmers were in Washington, D.C. in February and March as part of the American Sugar Alliance annual fly-in. Patrick Frischhertz, a member of the American Sugar Cane League National Legislative Committee and a Louisiana farmer, says the event helps…