Nursery stock is inspected at the grower level to insure that the stock being offered for sale is free from injurious insects and diseases.  Inspections are also performed for crop and plant pests that are not known to exist in Louisiana as part of an early detection program.  All nurseries that ship material out of state are required to undergo annual inspections.

Any person or business who plans to grow, move, clean, grade, pack or repack, sell or process sweet potatoes for commercial purposes needs an annual Sweet Potato Dealer's Permit. 

In areas of boll weevil eradication, cotton growers have benefited from lower production costs because of reduced pesticide use and higher yields that have led to increased land values and expanded cotton acreage. Pesticide savings between 40 and 90 percent have been realized and many cotton growers have been able to forgo pesticide use entirely. Yield increases of 10 to 20 percent have been achieved in areas where the boll weevil has been eliminated.

Visit the Licensed Horticulture Professional List. For additional information, call 225-952-8100 or email: horticulture@ldaf.state.la.us 

Diapause applications began in the Red River Zone (western Louisiana) in 1997.  Diapause applications began in all other areas of Louisiana in 1999.