when is sugarcane harvested in louisiana
The warm, sunny September following Hurricane Ida offered plenty of sunlight to help dry the soggy soil and slowly erect the crop that was bent and tangled from the storms 150 mph winds. Fall is a busy time for sugar cane growers. For 2020, the average Louisiana sugarcane farm was 1,360 planted acres. A primer on how sugarcane is planted and harvested in the Bayou State. She serves as the LSU AgCenter agronomy agent for Lafourche, Assumption, Ascension, Terrebonne, St. Charles and St. James parishes. From the farm to the factory and even the coffee shop in town, it was a remarkable experience. Until recently, the introduction of new herbicides for sugarcane was rare. Varietal resistance has been the primary means of sugarcane disease control, and the sugarcane pathology program works closely with the breeding program to minimize the disease impact. A lot has to happen between now and when the last stalk passes through the mills in January, but things are starting off good for us.. That means there is a chance of a killing freeze. web@agcenter.lsu.edu, 106 Martin D. Woodin Hall When the Jesuit priests first brought sugarcane to Louisiana in 1751, little did they know that they were laying the foundation for an industry that now contributes $2 billion to the Louisiana economy. In fact, of the U.S. sugar-producing areas, Louisiana is the oldest and most historic. With a $3 billion economic value to the state you can make a pretty convincing argument that sugarcane will always be Louisiana's number one crop. Louisiana wraps record sugarcane harvest | 2021-02-02 | Food Business News As an up-and-coming farmer, he was a member of the Lafourche Parish Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee. Then, we had the hurricane. (This article appeared in the fall 2001 issue of Louisiana Agriculture. We didnt have too much damage, just a few pieces of equipment, Richard recalled. We had a lot of cloudy days, Hebert said. Or, it is planted with shorter stalks of cane called billets. 2021 had record rainfall, but by the spring of 2022, most of the state was in drought conditions. In 2021, 469,000 acres were harvested but this season about 475,000 acres are expected to go to the state's 11 sugar mills. Years ago in Lafourche, we used to have a lot more farmers than we do now. August 24, 2021 Video How do farmers plant sugarcane in Louisiana? Sugarcane, which produces a large amount of biomass per acre in the form of bagasse and cane stalks and leaves, would be a viable feedstock for the cellulosic conversion of biomass into ethanol. Sugar and Sweeteners Yearbook Tables, ERS, USDA. A lot of farmers are not where they want to be with planting, and now harvesting has started, Castro said of growers in her area. Those parishes contain approximately 25 percent of the state's sugarcane production. On August 29, 2021, Hurricane Ida wreaked havoc with its Category 4 winds and nearly a foot of rain when it made landfall near Port Fourchon in southern Lafourche Parish, about 60 miles from where the Richards farm lies near St. Charles. The names, words, symbols, and graphics representing Iowa State University are trademarks and copyrights of the university, protected by trademark and copyright laws of the U.S. and other countries. In 2021, 469,000 acres were harvested but this season about 475,000 acres are expected to go to the state's 11 sugar mills. Farm to Table: Sugar Cane Harvest | The Sugar Association Magdi Selim and Richard Bengtson have conducted studies on the fate of pesticides and sediment in runoff water during sugarcane cultivation. Modernization of sugar cane cultivation began when 16 whole-stalk harvesters were successfully used to harvest cane in Louisiana in 1938. The harvest started in September and ran for about 125 consecutive days, Mr. Gravois said, with some delays because of hurricanes and problems getting imported labor. To be profitable, sugarcane must be produced relatively close to a sugar factory. Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons A Closer Look at Sugar As January came to an end, Louisiana growers wrapped up what is expected to be a record large sugarcane harvest, with even more acres expected in 2021, said Kenneth Gravois, Louisiana State University AgCenter sugarcane specialist. Quick-service restaurants expand menus with new wraps and sandwiches. "As sugarcane grinding season ramps up this September, farmers are harvesting and trucking their cane to mills in south Louisiana which means more slow moving agricultural equipment and 18-wheeler trucks are on the roadway," Strain said. ), The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture, 101 Efferson Hall The planting history of Louisiana sugarcane can be traced back to 1795 when New Orleans' first mayor, tienne de Bor, produced the first known granulated sugar in the French colony. Scientists sequence most complete sugarcane genome, USDA sees higher Louisiana cane sugar output, ADM completes sale of Brazilian sugarcane ethanol operations, Sugarcane may join bioengineered foods list, New pet food packaging initiative utilizes sustainable sugarcane, Accelerating plant-based innovation with fats and oils, Soybean futures soar on light delivery expectations, Shark Tank famous frozen pizza startup on the rise, Kroger sees consumer shopping patterns shift. Louisiana produced an average 1.782 million STRV of sugar between FY 2017 and FY 2021. On Bayou Teche, I think we have a pretty good crop, Hebert said. Their efforts now include studies to determine the water quality effects of maintaining the trash residue after combine harvesting with and without burning. Louisiana Sugarcane Statistics Current U.S. sugar policy provides some assurances of reasonable returns for sugarcane producers even in the face of competition from increasing imports and a well-established corn-derived sweetener industry. Louisiana production has also expanded because of the adoption of high-yielding sugarcane varieties, along with investments in new harvesting combines. A Sweet Part of a Healthy Diet I have a little boy whos 8 years old, Richard said speaking of his son Jase, who would represent a ninth generation of sugarcane farmers in the family. Last year, at the beginning, we had rain after rain after rain. History of Sugar Cane in Louisiana | Iberia Travel High labor costs in the United States led to the industry's rapid conversion to mechanical harvesting in the early 1990s. Farm work is hard work, and in the fields of Carmouche Planting Company in Belle Rose, we saw sugar cane harvesting go on despite constant rain and seriously muddy fields. Were asking folks to be extra cautious at this really active time of the year.. Sugarcane was once a significant crop in Hawaii, but the last sugar mill in that state closed in 2016. Cane is not planted with seeds. Louisianas most common sugarcane insect pest is the sugarcane borer. Harvest season has begun for Louisiana sugar cane farmers In contrast,Americans consumed 35.9 pounds of corn-derived sweeteners, which is down significantly from 63.8 pounds per person when consumption peaked in 1999 (ERS). . This raw sugar is transported to a refinery to finish the process. Sugar is not simply a crop or an ingredient, nor even just a livelihood, for the thousands of farmers who grow and process sugar beets and sugar cane. Pelican State sugarcane growers have been producing sugarcane for commercial purposes since 1795, and before that when the Jesuits planted cane in 1765 for their own use. Photo by Derek Albert/LSU AgCenter, The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture, 101 Efferson Hall Overall, Louisiana produces more than 14 million tons of sugar cane on more than 440,000 acres in 24 parishes. Labor shortages caused by World War II led to the need for increased . It can be flattened by high wind but i. skip to Main Content. Sugarcane is a tropical crop trying to survive in Louisianas temperate climate. Economic Evaluation of Sugarcane Production in Louisiana - LOUISIANA According to statistics from the American Sugar Cane League in Thibodaux, approximately 463,000 acres of cane were harvested by 417 farms in Louisiana in 2020. I was guided through the various steps for extracting the sugar from sugar cane, which include purification, clarification, evaporation and crystallization. The farmers and millers of the American Sugar Cane League have invested in research conducted by the United States Department of Agricultures Sugarcane Research Unit in Houma, the LSU AgCenter farms in St. Gabriel and New Iberia and the Audubon Sugar Institute, also in St. Gabriel. Of those industries, baking and cereal industriesare generallythe largest end users of sugar followed byconfectionery makers. First was rust. Hoys work has outlined steps that help ensure success with billet planting, such as using longer billet lengths and proper combine harvester settings. Louisianas current record sugar production is 1,907,000 tons in 2018-19. Texas sugarcane is produced in the lower Rio Grande Valley in the southern tip of the State. In Brazil, sugar and ethanol plants produce electricity by burning bagasse and cane straw in boilers to produce steam that generates power. He said sugarcane has been a part of his familys livelihood for generations. Often, its a family business, stretching back multiple generations. The entire southeast Louisiana sugarcane industry felt the blows dealt by the hurricane, said Renee Naquin Castro. Read the eight-page pamphlet that tells you everything you need to know about the 2020-21 Louisiana sugarcane season. There are government policies that effectively limit the amount of sugar that can be produced in the U.S. but which support the price growers receive, thereby limiting the expansion of sugarcane acreage. During 2013's Thanksgiving week (November 28-30 . While most people are familiar with sugar cane, they may not be aware that it accounts for nearly half of the sugar in the United States; the other half comes from sugar beets. Growers in Carrieres area were some of the first to start this years harvest, with the Alma Plantation Sugar Factory in Lakeland grinding its first stalks Sept. 24. The Louisiana sugarcane harvest typically begins in October. After peaking in 1972 at 102 pounds per person, the use of added sugar (both cane and beet) in domestic food and beverage industries declined to a low of 60 pounds per person by 1986. Baton Rouge, La. Benjamin L. Legendre, extension sugarcane specialist, conducts cold tolerance studies. All rights reserved |, Department of Agriculture and Forestry, State of Louisiana - Mike Strain DVM, Commissioner, Louisiana Agricultural Workforce Development Program, Louisiana Agricultural Chemistry and Seed Commission, Louisiana Equine Promotion and Research Advisory Board, Louisiana Industrial Hemp Promotion and Research Program. The 2022-23 Louisiana sugarcane harvest is in full swing now and most everyone in the industry is feeling optimistic for a good harvest. The Economic Feasibility of Ethanol Production from Sugar in the United States, 2006, USDA and Louisiana State University. According to AgCenter data, about 139,000 acres of cane are expected to have somewhat lower sugar yields because of the storm. If you spend much more time with folks who work in the sugar industry, you learn a few things pretty quickly. Its been one of the main parts of the heart of the industry for more than 200 years, Gravois added. Sugar and Sweeteners Outlook, 2022, Economic Research Service (ERS), USDA. Burning sugarcane before harvest removes from one-half to two-thirds of this trash that would otherwise contribute nothing to sugar production. But things looked a little different in Lafourche Parish 12 months ago. Typically a farmer may try to plant new seedcane on about 20 to 25 percent of his land. Opportunities for increased weed control and supplementary income fit in well with sugarcane farming practices. PDF LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana SUGARCANE BURNING Raising Cane in Louisiana Because cane is bulky and relatively expensive to transport, it must be processed as soon as possible to minimize sugar deterioration. Were going to produce almost 2 million tons of sugar, Mr. Gravois said. The stalk that remains after crushing is called bagasse and is often burned to power the factory but can be used for the production of paper, building boards, plastics and for mulching or animal bedding. In Louisiana, the stalks are planted in rows during the fall. Sugar deliveries to food manufacturers generally constitute a major portion of refined sugar deliveries. Derek Albert/LSU AgCenter, The LSU AgCenter and the LSU College of Agriculture, 101 Efferson Hall In the early 1990s, leaf scald disease was detected, and more recently, yellow leaf syndrome was found in sugarcane fields in Louisiana. web@agcenter.lsu.edu, 106 Martin D. Woodin Hall LSR produces two billion pounds of white sugar annually for distribution to commercial and retail customers throughout the U.S. and operates 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Partially Funded by USDA Rural Development. A commitment to stewardship and producing a high-quality product for consumers have been their goals for four generations. With help from the American Sugar Cane League, I had the opportunity in November 2018 to tour cane sugar operations in Louisiana. Some farmers use mechanical techniques because it is faster and offers more planting flexibility, especially after a storm. The economic impact to growers and processers in the state is $2.6 billion. (10/12/21) ST. MARTINVILLE, La. As your Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, I am committed to working with the farmer and forester, producer and processor and all others to ensure our food is safe, our fiber production among the best and our animals strong and healthy. (10/10/2022) THIBODAUX, La. Sugarcane is grown primarily in the tropics and subtropics. Now, harvest is getting off to a soggy start. Stephanie is the Head of Communications for the Sugar Association. Idas rains and persistent precipitation thereafter delayed some farmers from planting their next crop, which will be harvested in a ratoon cycle for the subsequent three or so years. Gravois explained that to begin each years harvest, farmers usually start with fields that have heavy clay soils, usually with less vigorous stands of sugarcane. Insecticides have long offered the main control for this pest. But even with the continual scientific and technological improvements, weather will still play a critical role in the 2022 season. Combine harvesting systems are better suited to varieties such as LCP 85-384 and have improved harvest efficiency in Louisiana. PDF Louisiana Prospective Plantings - National Agricultural Statistics Service "The only way to process that is with a longer processing season," Gravois said. Ethanol He said there are many ways the industry, its farmers and the general public can participate. The process of separating sugar from the sugarcane plant is accomplished through two steps: sugar mill crushing and sugar refinery extraction. When harvested, sugar cane is cut just above the root level so new sprouts will grow, ready to be harvested again in 10-12 months. Louisiana Sugarcane: A Resilient Crop - American Sugar Cane League Behind Kenneth Gravois is the variety. When youre in muddy fields, its just a more expensive crop to harvest, Gravois said. Sugarcane fields generally provide three to four years' worth of crops harvested annually from mid-September through mid-January before they must be replanted. Ratoon stunting disease (RSD), however, cannot be controlled through resistant varieties. sugarcane, ( Saccharum officinarum ), perennial grass of the family Poaceae, primarily cultivated for its juice from which sugar is processed. From Louisianas Sugar Belt To Your Table Griffins work also includes getting the most out of currently labeled herbicides, such as fine-tuning conditions for johnsongrass control with asulam. Baton Rouge, LA 70803, 2022 sugarcane harvest off to a positive start. As indicated in this issue of Louisiana Agriculture, the AgCenter, along with Certis USA, provider of Kleentek seedcane, and the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, has helped turn the tide against a disease that has caused significant losses in sugarcane for many years. PDF Sugarcane Production in Louisiaana i - LSU AgCenter The prior five-year average production is 1,678,200 tons. Published estimates of sugarcane harvest costs in other regions show values significantly less than what would be expected for Louisiana. Farther south, AgCenter agent Blair Hebert said he is cautiously optimistic about the 2021 sugarcane harvest. But thats only one half of the industry, as sugar also comes from sugar beets. Sugarcane begins to grow fast after the last freeze is over, but grows fastest during the hot summer months. Sugar recovery this season will be approximately 217 pounds per ton of cane, he said. In the United States, sugarcane is grown commercially in Louisiana, Florida and Texas. The increased demand for ethanol has generated interest in using U.S. sugarcane as a feedstock for producing the fuel. The soggy weather may have made for a slow start to the season with less-than-ideal field conditions. 9516 Airline Highway, Baton Rouge, LA, 70815, United States. Not only does it mean harvest, but also planting season. Some varieties grow better on sandy soil. Sugarcane Profile | Agricultural Marketing Resource Center Castro said Jason Richard, and other farmers his age represent the future viability of the industry. Baton Rouge, LA 70803. The cloudy, wet spring and early summer that farmers experienced during the prime sugarcane-growing season may have led to lower stalk density across the sugar belt. Coastal areas experienced some losses from hurricane damage and saltwater surges, although wind damage was limited by planting of L 01-299 as the major variety, which is easier to harvest when lodged. History of Real Sugar: The Story of Sugar Cane | Sugar.org What You Need to Know About Sugarcane Burning - FoodPrint We have a pretty decent crop in the field, and it has been dry. Indications for the 2001 crop are for this variety to account for more than 80 percent of the states acreage. Harvest & Cold Tolerance Others tolerate the heavier clay soils. According to statistics from the American Sugar Cane League in Thibodaux, approximately 463,000 acres of cane were harvested by 417 farms in Louisiana in 2020. Plants arise from the joints on the stalk and are typically harvested for the first time the following fall. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) The raw sugar is then shipped to refineries to produce refined sugar. Making Sugar in Louisiana | Sugar.org ST. GABRIEL, LA. 8 2A Projected Costs and Returns on 1000 Acres of Sugarcane, 5-Year Rotation, Harvest through 3rd stubble, Tenant-Operator, Louisiana, 2014. It was harvest season, and the whole industry was in full swing. Europeans were introduced to sugar during the Crusades. The harvested cane is loaded into trailers and taken to mills, such as this one in St. James. Sugarcane and sugar yields in Louisiana (1911-2018): Varietal Sugarcane Production Handbook, 2014, Louisiana State University Extension. Sugarcane | Planting, Harvesting & Processing | Britannica But there is another weather caveat. Sugarcane in Louisiana has traditionally been planted using whole stalks, which helped control stalk rot diseases. 225-578-4143 Sucrose Sugarcane is grown in 24 parishes throughout southern and central Louisiana. 2023 Ag Marketing Resource Center. Crop Values Annual Summary, National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS), USDA. Business and Economic Concepts and Principles, Practitioner and Education Resource Database, AgMRC Special Projects Initiative Curriculum, Opportunities for Value-added Agriculture, Midwest Ethanol Cash Prices, Basis Data and Charts for Selected States, Fuel and Grain Price Historic Comparisons, Tracking the Profitability of Corn Production, Value-Added Grants Help Dairy Family Realize A Dream, Value-Added Grant Jumpstarts a Minnesota Creamery, Value-Added Grant Helps Iowa Creamery Expand, Value-Added Grant Helps Missouri Farm Focus on Quality Products, The Economic Feasibility of Ethanol Production from Sugar in the United States. Samples taken from each load to test sugar content establish the price paid to the farmer. In this role, she is responsible for developing and executing SAIs communications strategy to tell real sugars story, promote industry-leading research, and advocate for evidence-based policy. Harvested acreage is estimated at 105,000 acres, down 60,000 acres from 2020. Several new herbicides are being evaluated to give farmers more weed control options. So far, harvesting conditions have been optimal but things will get wetter as we move into December. Until proven t echnology allows economically efficient harvesting without burning, it is critical that growers and processors do the best job possible with regard to smoke and ash management. Cautious optimism marks start of soggy sugarcane harvest More Than Just Sweet Taste From the Field to the Table Sugar cane arrived in the state in 1751 and was first planted at what is now an intersection on New Orleans' Bourbon Street. According to the American Sugarcane League ( 2019 ): In 2021, 469,000 acres were harvested but this season about 475,000 acres are expected to go to the states 11 sugar mills. The school year, abbreviated by the covid-19 pandemic, is officially over and Louisianas sugar industry, Sugarcane farmers and millers held their collective breath last month when a double whammy of, Production farmers, sugarcane producers included, generally do their work in the fields and dont necessarily, The Sugar Bulletins Advertising Rates and Sizes. Sugarcane for sugar was harvested from 903,400 acres in 2020 and had a value of $1,403 million. Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. All hay acres expected to be harvested in Louisiana are estimated at 350,000 acres, down 20,000 acres from 2021. . A new shoot will sprout from the cut stalks of cane for the next harvest. The recovery was fairly quick.. James L. Griffin leads the LSU AgCenters efforts in evaluating new herbicides and control measures for weeds encountered by Louisianas sugarcane producers. Its a passion. Its not the crop of last year, but I think overall weve got a good crop.. These efforts began in Louisiana in the early 1920s. The mill, which began grinding its first stalks of the season on Sept. 28, is expected to operate until January for this years crop. The number of sugarcane mills has declined as their efficiencies have improved. A conveyer arm transfers the stalk pieces to a tractor pulling a large hopper-style trailer. In the past, sugar mills were generally finished grinding cane by Christmas, but the increased acreage has pushed finishing dates into mid-January. A total of 24 articles and reports were published investigating relevant economic aspects of sugarcane production in Louisiana. . Nevertheless, an analysis by the Sugar and Sweeteners Team of USDAs Economic Research Service suggests that the U.S. market will continue to depend on refined sugar imports from Mexico and Central America to meet demand. 1/2 Kenneth Gravois Sugarcane has been an integral part of the south Louisiana economy and culture for more than 200 years. With falling sugar prices, careful attention to production costs is a must if sugar producers and processors are to survive. In the U.S., 11 states grow sugar beets: California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon, Wyoming and Washington. The first stop on our tour was in Houma for a fascinating visit to the USDA Agricultural Research Service Sugarcane Research Laboratory. The crystallized sugar is put through a centrifuge and washed. Joel Gremel and his family are proud to farm the same land his great-grandparents first planted sugar beets on over 100 years ago. But we had a dry grinding, and we had a dry spring. With an average of 8,568 pounds of sugar produced per acre, 2020 was a stellar year for the industry. How do farmers plant sugarcane in Louisiana? Simon said during harvest season, the public will undoubtedly notice more trucks hauling cane on the states thoroughfares, along with harvesting equipment that is essential in getting the crop from the field to the mills. Sugar is pure, contains no man-made chemical or warning labels, is 100% natural, and is less than 16 calories per teaspoon. This year could possibly be a record year. The 2022-23 Louisiana sugarcane harvest is in full swing now and most everyone in the industry is feeling optimistic for a good harvest. At the refinery it is washed, crystallized, dried and packaged. Sugarcane cultivar response to glyphosate and trinexapac-ethyl - PLOS . 225-578-4161 Not all parts of the state reported record-breaking cane harvests, but all reported very good crops. In 2000, LCP 85-384 occupied 71 percent of the states acreage. 225-578-4161 If our sugar recoveries can improve, like we are starting to see and if its dry and we get this crop out cheap it bodes well for this year. The AgCenter has also helped sugarcane farmers learn to burn cane to minimize environmental problems. Sugar cane is also grown in Florida and Texas. On the optimistic side, if everything goes well, we are projected to cut 16.6 million tons of cane which should produce in the neighborhood of 1.6 million tons of raw sugar. Progress 01/01/10 to 12/31/10 Outputs OUTPUTS: Projected production costs for sugarcane in Louisiana were developed for all phases of crop production from fallow, planting through harvest for the 2010 crop year. (Photo by Mark Claesgens). This crop started last year, Gravois said. 2022 sugarcane harvest off to a positive start News. AgCenter agent Mark Carriere said farmers in Pointe Coupee, West Baton Rouge and Iberville parishes are optimistic despite the soggy field conditions that add challenges to harvesting and transporting the crop to area sugar mills. Most of the sugarcane farmers in the state have attended training workshops conducted by the AgCenter on controlled agricultural burning. There are 17 mills in Louisiana. All sugarcane remaining in the industry will be damaged to some extent. Even though the tonnage may be off, we can still make money on this crop, Gravois said. 8 1D Breakeven Raw Sugar Yields for Selected Prices and Rental Arrangements, 4-Year Rotation, Harvest through 2nd stubble, Tenant-Operators, Louisiana, 2014. Granulated sugar spurred cultivation in Louisiana, and sugarcane became the colony's . Sugarcane acreage increased again this year. If you spend much time with folks who work in the sugar industry, you learn a few things pretty quickly. And, at its core, that process is amazingly straightforward. Sugar is an ideal ingredient for a butterfly feeder because it is very similar to the nectar produced by flowers. As January came to an end, Louisiana growers wrapped up what is expected to be a record large sugarcane harvest, with even more acres expected in 2021, said Kenneth. When you get along the Bayou Lafourche and Mississippi River areas, those are some of the youngest alluvial soils in the U.S. This collective research has developed cane varieties well-suited for Louisianas unique climate and better harvesting and milling technology.
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when is sugarcane harvested in louisiana
