From sugar mills in New Iberia to city gardens in New Orleans, it’s a pretty sweet episode of TWILA! We take a look at how drought conditions are tightening their grip on the state and how Louisiana Farm Bureau is connecting lawmakers and farmers ahead of the special session. We’ll tour the historic M.A. Patout sugar mill, share harvest road safety tips, and see how SPROUT NOLA is growing fresh food in the heart of the city. Plus, we visit Liuzza Land for some fall fun, stop by the first-ever Livestock Connection event, and join Farm Bureau as they give back through Pat’s Coats for Kids.

From the classroom to the countryside, this week’s TWILA dives into the stories shaping Louisiana agriculture. Farmers are feeling the pinch from record-low cotton acres, a federal shutdown, and shifting global trade. Meanwhile, students across the state are getting a firsthand look at where their food comes from through Farm City Day and the Farm to School Conference. We’ll also explore Louisiana’s forestry roots in Longleaf and stop by Champagne’s Marché for a taste of Cajun tradition.

It may not feel like it, but it’s officially fall—and we’re digging into the season’s biggest stories!

Karl Wiggers is in Evangeline Parish to learn more about a new invasive pest putting Louisiana rice farmers on alert. Neil Melancon shows us how schools are getting creative to keep local food on the menu despite funding cuts. We also take a look at one of Louisiana’s strongest sweet potato harvests in years. Then, we head to Kristen Oaks White’s kitchen, where she brings a homegrown taste of fall to Feasting on Agriculture. It’s a full serving of Louisiana agriculture, fresh from the field to your screen!

National 4-H Week is October 5-11, and we’re celebrating with a special TWILA takeover from the Louisiana 4-H state officers! From launching businesses to chasing careers, these stories highlight the big dreams, hard work, and heart of 4-H members across the state. Whether in the barn, the boardroom, or even the cockpit, these students are proving they’re beyond ready for whatever comes next. Watch this week’s show to see why 4-H is more than just a program—it’s a launchpad.

Usually when we talk about disasters in Louisiana this time of the year it is a hurricane. However, it's the extreme heat and drought wearing on Louisiana farmers.  This week we learn how lack of rain and high temperatures are impacting grain crops, sugarcane, timber and cattle in every corner of the state and how farmers can make their voices heard. Plus, we get an update on the upcoming Farm Bill. 

This week we take you to the streets of downtown Baton Rouge, the forests of Vernon Parish, and a lot of places in between. 

 Karl Wiggers shows us how the triple digit temperatures are impacting Louisiana’s beef industry. Trevor Williams takes us to the Red Stick Farmers Market where farmers are bringing their bounty to community tables. Neil Melancon tells us about an archaeological discovery in the forests of Vernon Parish. Plus, we get a behind-the-scenes look at the 2023 Louisiana Harvest.

In this special episode of Louisiana Farm Life, TWILA’s Avery Davidson sits down with third generation farmer and American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall and his new bride Jennifer. Zippy tells us about his upbringing family’s dairy farm, and how a conversation with his father grew into a life-long passion for Farm Bureau. They also talk about how Jennifer and Zippy connected after losing their first loves, and the importance of mental health in agriculture.

It’s fall in Louisiana, which means two things: the weather might dip below 90, and I’m officially knee-deep in pumpkins.