Sugarcane farmer Mark Patout might be more comfortable in the cane field than anywhere else. He is absolutely and positively dedicated to his sugarcane crop and holds himself and his employees to a high work standard. In early December he was a little more than a...
By: Cheryl Michelet, American Sugar Cane League Louisiana is having a big week for economic development, and agriculture is right in the middle of it. On August 26, Louisiana hosted two major announcements focused on strengthening America’s domestic fertilizer supply....
If you ask Denise Wright how she found her way into agricultural research and consulting, she won't tell you it was part of some carefully planned career path. She'll simply tell you she grew up in Bayou Jacque, loved being outdoors and loved agriculture. That passion...
Sugarcane field days have long been a summer tradition across Louisiana's cane belt, providing growers an opportunity to see research firsthand and hear directly from scientists, extension specialists and fellow farmers. Six years ago, leaders in Pointe Coupee Parish...
New Orleans - Louisiana's sugar industry continues to demonstrate its resilience and economic importance, now being recognized as the nation's leading sugarcane-producing state despite ongoing challenges from labor shortages, global market pressures, pests and...
For much of the spring, Louisiana was feeling the strain of drought. For many farmers, the lack of rain made an already challenging planting season even tougher, especially for crops that depend on timely moisture to get established. In some cases, fields planted just...
Louisiana sugarcane grower Chad Hanks recently traveled to Washington, D.C., to share firsthand with lawmakers the challenges farmers face today, from labor shortages to rising production costs. In this guest column, he explains why policies that support American...
Last winter, Louisiana sugarcane farmers watched a historic snowfall do something few expected. It helped protect the 2025 crop from widespread freeze damage. The snow acted as insulation, shielding the roots and preserving the buds that would fuel the next growing...
For Kassi Leger, farming sugarcane was not part of the original plan. After working in sales, she realized the career did not fit and called her father in April 2012 with a proposal: “I think I’m going to come and be on the farm for a little while until I can figure...