Louisiana Industries (Part Two)

Wednesday, May 10, 2023

Soybeans

Despite the United States being the largest producer of soybeans in the world, Louisiana's soybean industry did not flourish until post-1960. Since then, Louisiana has become an avid producer of soybeans across the nation.

Over 47 parishes harvest and cultivate soybeans. From this, around 65 million bushels are produced which generate close to $712 Million.

Soybeans are not just harvested to be consumed yet they have a variety of functions. Examples include animal feed, paints, textiles, crayons, and even cosmetics!

Rice

In 2022, Louisiana was the second-highest producer of rice, with 27.65 million centum weight of rice produced. Rice was first introduced to Louisiana in 1718 by French explorers yet it did not begin to flourish until after the evolution of the railroad. As technology has advanced and rice production has improved, Louisiana has begun to produce over half of the rice within the U.S.

Fun Fact: Starting in 1936, Louisiana has hosted the annual International Rice Festival to celebrate the state’s rice industry in Crowley, Louisiana. Today, the event draws more than 150,000 visitors from around the world.

Rice production within Louisiana ranges across over 850 farms and generates almost $308 Million per year.

Cotton

For more than 100 years cotton has been the most important crop grown in northeast Louisiana. At one time cotton was grown all across the state, but over the years it has become increasingly concentrated in the northeast part because of more favorable environmental conditions and because other crops, especially sugarcane and rice, are preferred in south Louisiana. For most of the communities in northeastern Louisiana, cotton production and related businesses constitute the foundation of the economy.

With cotton production ranging over 450,000 acres, the Louisiana cotton industry generates close to $360 Million per year. From this, thousands of jobs are provided among rural communities in Louisiana.