The LSU AgCenter 4-H and FFA Junior Showmanship show gives members a chance to show their broilers. This guide shows how to handle your broiler for exhibition showmanship.

The LSU AgCenter 4-H and FFA Junior Showmanship show gives members a chance to show their broilers. This guide shows how to handle your broiler for exhibition showmanship.

4-H and FFA members share their experiences raising and showing poultry at the LSU AgCenter Junior Showmanship Show.

(Radio News 10/27/08) LSU AgCenter researchers are looking for alternative sources of energy. High diesel prices are hurting farmers, but experts say new sources of energy might be as close as the farmers' fields. LSU AgCenter agronomist Dr. Don Boquet says farmers are reluctant to grow crops for biofuel because of the lack of processing facilities. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/27/08) A plot of sweet sorghum towers over other crops at the LSU AgCenter’s Dean Lee Research Station near Alexandria. LSU AgCenter agronomist Dr. Don Boquet is studying the sorghum as a potential biofuel source. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(TV News 10/20/08) Soybeans weren’t the hardest hit crop by hurricanes Gustav and Ike, but some farmers lost significant portions of their crops. Louisiana soybean farmers are harvesting now and that's yielding a clearer picture of the damage around the state. (Runtime:1 minute, 30 seconds)

(TV News 10/13/08) Hurricanes Gustav and Ike could not have hit Louisiana at a worse time for the state’s cotton industry. The two storms badly damaged cotton across the state. (Runtime:1 minute, 30 seconds)

(TV News 10/06/08) There was no shortage of rain across Louisiana’s sweet potato-growing regions before the hurricanes hit in September. Then, as LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard reports, Gustav and Ike soaked the already saturated fields and devastated the state's sweet potato industry. (Runtime: 1 minute, 30 seconds)

(TV News 09/29/08) Three years later, the scars of Hurricane Rita are still evident in lower Vermilion Parish. Hurricane Ike opened up fresh wounds, and the area’s agricultural industry is starting to assess the damage. (Runtime: 1 minute, 30 seconds)

(TV News 09/15/08) Hurricane Gustav tore through Louisiana -- uprooting trees, pulling down power lines and damaging homes and structures. Louisiana's agricultural industries did not escape the storm’s wrath. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard has early estimates of destruction to the state’s commodities. (Runtime: 2 minutes)

(TV News 09/08/08) Many soybean growers are trying to get into their fields to harvest their crops, but rain is slowing them down. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard spoke with the AgCenter’s newly-appointed soybean specialist about the 2008 crop. (Runtime: 1 minute, 30 seconds)

(TV News 09/01/08) After years of low prices, the situation for rice farmers is looking up this year. Growers across the state are harvesting their crops and finding good news in the fields. LSU AgCenter correspondent Tobie Blanchard has the story. (Runtime: 1 minute, 30 seconds)

(Radio News 10/06/08) Hurricanes Gustav and Ike affected crawfish ponds across the state. The biggest hit came from Ike’s storm surge in Southwest Louisiana. LSU AgCenter aquaculture agent Mark Shirley explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 09/30/08) Many cattle producers and their herds in Southwest Louisiana were affected by Hurricane Ike. LSU AgCenter agent Andrew Granger of Vermilion Parish is working with the cattle relief effort. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 9/30/08) Hurricane Ike tipped the losses in the Louisiana sweet potato crop to 50 percent. Farmer Ken Thornhill in Franklin Parish has started harvesting his fields, but he said he is seeing some encouraging results. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 09/29/08) Hurricane Gustav dumped 18 inches of rain on Ken Thornhill’s sweet potato fields. Hurricane Ike didn’t hit his fields in Franklin Parish as hard, but growers across the state are reeling from the two storms. According to early estimates, the state will lose 50 percent of its crop. The excessive water is causing the potatoes to rot in the field, says LSU AgCenter sweet potato specialist Dr. Tara Smith. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 09/29/08) Many cattle in Louisiana's coastal areas were left stranded by floodwaters from Hurricane Ike. LSU AgCenter agents, such as Vermilion Parish agent Andrew Granger, are organizing a feed distribution effort for producers that have no feed for the cattle. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio New 10/06/08) Louisiana’s shrimp industry sustained significant damage from hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The industry was recovering, but damage from Gustav and Ike will set them back again, according to LSU AgCenter aquaculture agent Mark Shirley. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/13/08) Some soybean farmers have dealt with any array of problems this year. Green bean syndrome, an issue where beans stay green and don’t mature, has shown up in some fields. LSU AgCenter soybean specialist Dr. Ronnie Levy explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/13/08) The cotton harvest is wrapping up across Louisiana, and LSU AgCenter cotton specialist Dr. Sandy Stewart says the situation is not good. Yields are down significantly. Growers are harvesting around 500 pounds to the acre, when, in an average year, a grower would get closer to 900 pounds. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/13/08) The 2008 cotton crop was an expensive crop to grow. High fuel and fertilizer costs were couple with high seed costs. LSU AgCenter cotton specialist Dr. Sandy Stewart says Louisiana cotton growers and the industry are struggling. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 10/13/08) The outlook for soybeans across the state is mixed. Some fields saw little damage from the hurricanes Gustav and Ike; others saw more. LSU AgCenter soybean specialist Dr. Ronnie Levy says it is still hard to determine exactly how much damage the storms did to the crop. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(TV News 08/04/08) Sugarcane breeders are giving growers more options when it comes time to plant this fall. (Runtime: 1 minute, 30 seconds)

(TV News 08/11/08) Louisiana farmers and livestock producers and the state’s fishing industry all benefit from LSU AgCenter research. LSU AgCenter officials met with a U.S. Representative to show how federal funding helps the AgCenter provide research-based information to the people of Louisiana. (Runtime:1 minute, 30 seconds)

(Radio News 06/09/08) Soybean planting started in mid-April and could continue into early July. Growers were concerned about seed availability, but LSU AgCenter interim soybean specialist Rob Ferguson says it has not been the problem they expected it to be. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 06/09/08) For the past few years, Asian soybean rust has been a concern for researchers and farmers. Last year, the disease was found early in the state. This spring, environmental conditions were not right for the development of the disease according to LSU AgCenter interim soybean specialist Rob Ferguson. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 06/09/08) Planting sweet potatoes requires more than just a farmer and a machine. It is a very labor intensive process. LSU AgCenter sweet potato specialist, Dr. Tara Smith, says Louisiana growers started planting this year’s crop back in mid-May. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 06/09/08) Some sweet potato growers are trying a new variety this year. Evangeline was released last year with limited production. LSU AgCenter sweet potato specialist Dr. Tara Smith said a few more growers are taking a look at it this year. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 06/09/08) The LSU AgCenter master cattle producer program educates participants on how to increase farm profitability while being environmentally sustainable. LSU AgCenter cattle specialist Dr. Jason Rowntree says the better care a producer takes of their land and their animals, the better their production will be. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 06/23/08) Fresh Louisiana peaches are hitting markets this month. Peach producer Joe Mitcham started picking peaches back in May. His orchard spans 100 acres, and he grows many varieties so he has peaches available all summer long. (Runtime: 30 seconds)

(Radio News 06/23/08) Joe Mitcham’s peach orchard on Ruston’s rolling hills appears picturesque, but a closer look reveals a problem. A significant amount of Mitcham’s trees are dead or dying. A fungus in the soil called oak root rot has attacked 30 percent of his acreage. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 06/30/08) The high cost of feed grains is affecting cattle producers. Corn prices were expected to drop this year, but environmental conditions could cause prices to stay high. LSU AgCenter cattle specialist Dr. Jason Rowntree explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 06/30/08) Louisiana’s corn crop has been planted and is in the growing phase. Last year the state saw a record corn crop, with acreage surpassing 700,000. Although acreage will drop this year, it sill will be higher than normal, and growers should be on the lookout for insects, according to LSU AgCenter interim corn specialist Rob Ferguson. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/07/08) Washington Parish is famous for its watermelons, but the southeastern Louisiana parish has not had cooperative weather for watermelon growing. LSU AgCenter county agent Henry Harrison explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/07/08) Watermelon is a refreshing summer treat, and Louisiana farmers produced melons on 3,000 acres last year. LSU AgCenter county agent Henry Harrison of Washington Parish says most watermelon producers grow a handful of varieties. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/07/08) Louisiana blueberries are in season for a little while longer. Henry Harrison, LSU AgCenter county agent in Washington Parish, says blueberries grow well on the sandy soils found in his parish. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/14/08) Commodity prices are high these days, and recent crop disasters in the Midwest are driving prices even higher. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/14/08) The LSU AgCenter’s weed management research has expanded to include work on late-fall and early winter herbicide applications. Dr. Donnie Miller, research coordinator at the AgCenter's Northeast Research Station, explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/14/08) Dr. David Boethel, LSU AgCenter vice chancellor, asked a crowd gathered at the Pecan Research Station in Shreveport if they had heard of Interstate 69. An ongoing proposal would have the interstate highway cutting through the Pecan Station, which is one of the last remaining pecan research facilities in the nation. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio 07/21/08) Clearfield technology in rice varieties allows growers to control the weed known as red rice in their fields. LSU AgCenter rice breeder Dr. Steve Linscombe says the amount of Clearfield acreage in Louisiana is increasing. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/21/08) A part of the LSU AgCenter’s rice breeding program is devoted to developing aromatic Jasmine varieties. Researchers are working on a promising variety known as LA-2125. Rice breeder Dr. Steve Linscombe says the United States imports around 18 percent of its white milled rice, and the vast majority of that rice comes from Jasmine varieties. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/21/08) The Asian citrus psyllid has been found in five parishes in Louisiana, and this pest could lead to devastation of the state’s citrus crop through transmission of a disease. LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Natalie Hummel says citrus growers should be on the lookout for this insect. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/21/08) A new pest in Louisiana is threatening the state’s citrus crop. The Asian citrus psyllid was discovered recently in the New Orleans area. It feeds on the sap of citrus leaves and is capable of spreading a disease called citrus greening. Dr. Don Ferrin, a plant pathologist with the LSU AgCenter, explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/21/08) LSU AgCenter rice breeders released two new varieties this year. LSU AgCenter rice breeder Dr. Steve Linscombe says Catahoula is a high-yielding conventional long-grain variety with good characteristics. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/28/08) LSU AgCenter entomologists are studying five insecticides that could be alternatives to pyrethroids currently registered to control insects in rice fields. LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Michael Stout explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/28/08) The rice stink bug is the most important late-season insect pest of rice in Louisiana. The rice stink bug probably is present in nearly all rice fields in Louisiana every year, and one or more applications of insecticides often are required to control this insect in fields. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/28/08) Cultural practices such as depth of flooding and when flooding is done can affect the insect population in a rice field. LSU AgCenter entomologist Dr. Michael Stout is conducting research on this topic. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 07/28/08) Dr. Zhimin Xu is taking what was a relatively useless product and making it a healthful preservative. Defatted soy flour is a byproduct of producing vegetable oil from soybeans, but working with other LSU AgCenter scientists, Xu is extracting healthful isoflavones from soy flour -- thus adding more value to soybean production. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio news 08/04/08) Commodities such as corn, soybean and wheat have seen record prices during the past year, but that has not translated into record profits for growers, according to LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio news 08/04/08) Louisiana’s sugarcane industry is moving toward earlier start-up dates. Growers are always looking for earlier maturing varieties, and they rely on sugarcane ripeners. (Runtime:60 seconds)

(Radio news 08/04/08) While many commodities are seeing record high prices, sugar prices have remained low. LSU AgCenter sugarcane breeder Dr. Kenneth Gravois says the situation is picking up slightly for Louisiana sugarcane growers. (Runtime:60 seconds)

(Radio news 08/04/08) A disease called "rust" caused the downfall of the long-dominant sugarcane variety LCP 85-384. This year, growers released a variety, L 01-283, that has high yields like 384, but offers other positive characteristics. (Runtime:60 seconds)

(Radio News 08/11/08) Louisiana’s cotton crop is at the end of bloom cycle. LSU AgCenter cotton specialist Dr. Sandy Stewart says the crop has had unusually early fruit retention on the bottom third of the plant. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 09/01/08) Yields in Louisiana rice fields are better than expected. Farmers have been surprised as they head into their fields for harvest. What accounts for the good yields? LSU AgCenter rice specialist Dr. Johnny Saichuk says Mother Nature. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 09/12/08) Hurricane Gustav tore through Louisiana -- uprooting trees, pulling down power lines and damaging homes and structures. Louisiana’s agricultural industries did not escape the storm’s wrath either. LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry explains. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 09/12/08) Most crops in the state suffered damage from Hurricane Gustav, but some commodities were hardest hit by the storm. LSU AgCenter economist Dr. Kurt Guidry says the state’s cotton crop, which is near harvest, suffered wind and rain damage, and the storm drowned many sweet potato fields. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 09/01/08) The LSU AgCenter’s rice research verification program allows scientists to evaluate their recommendations in commercial fields. Rice farmer Kenneth Olivier had a field in this year’s verification program. The field contained rice planted behind grain sorghum. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 09/01/08) After years of low prices, rice prices are up this year, but LSU AgCenter rice specialist Dr. Johnny Saichuk says the economic situation for rice growers isn’t as rosy as it may appear. Farmers like Kenneth Olivier are looking for ways to cut costs. (Runtime: 60 seconds)

(Radio News 09/01/08) Heavy rains have soaked many ripening soybean fields. LSU AgCenter soybean specialist Dr. Ronnie Levy says growers are harvesting their early-maturing soybeans and that early yields have been good. But he also says the rain could cause yields to drop. (Runtime: 60 seconds)