Grants, loan guarantees available
USDA Rural Development is taking loan guarantee and grant applications for the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, for projects to be awarded in 2010. USDA Rural Development's Renewable Energy for America Program (REAP) offers grants, guaranteed loans, and combination grant/guaranteed loans to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses purchase and install renewable energy systems and make energy efficiency improvements. More...

Data reveals decrease in Louisiana's African-American smokers
Since the inception of the SU Ag Center's Communities of Color Network in 2003, Louisiana has seen a significant decrease in the prevalence of tobacco use among African Americans. According to Tonia Moore, grants and contract coordinator with Louisiana Public Health Institute, Louisiana has witnessed a large volume of African-American callers to the Louisiana Quit Line in the last four years (approximately 31-37% of the callers are African Americans). More...

Animal science program to enhance small meat goat producers
The SU Ag Center's animal science program in collaboration with four institutions, was awarded a three-year, $388,000.00 USDA AFRI integrated re-search project grant with $45,000 coming to the Center. The project is titled "Enhanced economic benefits for meat goat producers through production, meat yield and palatability, and consumer information." This is a joint project of five institutions: LSU Ag Center, SU Ag Center, Angelo State University, Fort Valley State University, and Tuskegee University. More...

Helping Haiti
The January 12 earthquake in Haiti devastated that nation and has many people wondering what they can do to help. In the years since Katrina, the process for managing donations has become more efficient, effective, and secure. Southern University and the Ag Center have had a long history with Partners of the Americas, and many of our faculty and staff have travelled with them on many development projects in El Salvador, Louisiana's southern partner. More...

Center trains agents on emergency preparedness
In order to teach local communities, families, school leaders and childcare center employees how to respond to emergencies, the SU Ag Center Family and Human Development program hosted a three-day emergency preparedness training for Extension agents who work through-out the state. "It makes no difference what the disaster is, but it does matter that all of us learn to mitigate and pre-pare in order to remain safe and healthy," said Chancellor Leodrey Williams. More...

Technology helps homeowners, provides experiential learning
New technology that can depict structural defects in trees is available now at the Southern University Urban Forestry Program to assist homeowners in tree diagnosis. Known as Tree Resistograph, the instrument measures wood resistance and can identify where decay, cracks and hollowness exist within tree trunks. Recently, the Ag Center chancellor Leodrey Williams received a call from a homeowner concerned about the structural soundness of two large water oak trees (3ft in diameter) in his backyard. More...