Southern University Ag Center to connect Ville Platte’s small farmers and business owners to business development resources through its GROW LA Initiative
Baton Rouge, La. – The Southern University Ag Center will bring business development resources to small farmers and business owners in Ville Platte through its Growing Rural Opportunities through Workforce and Business Development, Louisiana (GROW LA) initiative.
Through a partnership with the City of Ville Platte, the SU Ag Center will hold GROW LA sessions on October 21, 2026 and October 28, 2026 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Ville Platte Civic Center – Northside, located at 704 North Soileau St.
GROW LA is designed to help Louisiana farmers, producers, entrepreneurs, and small business owners access the information, programs, technical assistance, and relationships needed to strengthen and grow their operations.
Participants will learn about business formation, registration and compliance, USDA and Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) programs and resources, and receive one-on-one assistance to help move their businesses forward.
Both sessions are free, but registration is required. To register visit, https://bit.ly/4ynlt9S?r=qr.
Additional partners for the workshops include the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA), USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), the LSU AgCenter, LSBDC, and the Delta Region Authority.
The SU Ag Center launched its pilot GROW LA Initiative in Opelousas in August. The workshops connected 27 participants with practical guidance and trusted resources. Participants received hands-on assistance with registering their farms, obtaining farm serial numbers, creating Login.gov accounts, locating USDA Service Centers, and learning how to access federal programs.
For additional information on the GROW LA Initiative contact, Krystle Allen, Ph.D. at, krystle_allen@suagcenter.com or Jamerson Jackson, J.D. at, jamerson_jackson@suagcenter.com.
