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.

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.

We’re going from the fields of West Carroll to the peppers of Avery Island in this week’s TWILA!

We show you how farmers in West Carroll Parish came together to harvest for a neighbor after an injury. You’ll also meet Chris Roussel, a jeweler and rancher who used his experience of running a family jewelry business to build 12-Star Ranch and launch a custom beef label. We’ll highlight traditions old and new, see how teachers are bringing agriculture into the classroom, and visit Avery Island for a closer look at the peppers behind a world-famous hot sauce. Plus, this week’s TWILA Boost features a pro quarterback giving back to farmers during harvest.

From cutting-edge AI tools to new farm labor rules, this week’s show highlights how innovation and policy are shaping Louisiana agriculture. We hear directly from leaders in Washington and Baton Rouge, check in on the soybean harvest, and wrap it all up at LSU game day—where rice takes the spotlight in a jambalaya that proves every tailgate starts with farmers.

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.