Agriculture/Forestry/Food Processing

Louisiana's agriculture, forestry and food processing industries contribute an estimated $13 billion to annual output, or approximately 10 percent of the state economy.

Louisiana Economic Development's efforts focus on supporting the agriculture, forestry and food processing industries, providing leadership to allow business development collaboration among business, academia and government.

Agriculture and Food Processsing

The Louisiana agricultural economy is complex and comprised of many commodity segments including animal, fishery and plant commodities, packaged food processing and related businesses. LED has commissioned several studies to identify value-added agricultural processing opportunities. These reports contain extensive analysis for the following sub-sectors: poultry, dairy, aquaculture, cotton, rice and sugar. These studies also investigate three special situations in agricultural processing as potential opportunities for Louisiana: pet food, sweet potato processing and bio-fuels.

Click here for an executive summary of Louisiana Economic Development: Identification of Value-Added Agriculture Opportunities.

Business Opportunity in Louisiana for Premium Pet Food Manufacturing

In the aforementioned study, Louisiana Economic Development: Identification of Value-Added Agriculture Opportunities, pet food was identified as one of the possible opportunities for Louisiana. As a result, LED commissioned an additional, more detailed study on the pet food industry. This study has identified premium and niche pet food manufacturing as a promising business development option for Louisiana. The report demonstrates the market potential for super-premium and niche pet food products, such as natural and organic products and the viability of a manufacturing facility in Louisiana.

Click here for an executive summary of The Opportunity for Pet Food Manufacturing in Louisiana.

Forestry

To encourage private sector investment in the forest product industry, three investment prospectuses were developed. Each prospectus focuses on different wood products identified for growth and investment potential. The three prospectuses covered respectively: high-density laminate flooring, molded door skins and wood/plastic composite products.

Click here to request copies of the prospectuses.

If you are a businessperson looking to expand and develop in the Agriculture, Forestry or Food Processing industries, contact:

Kelsey Short Director, Agriculture, Forest & Food Technology 225-342-5892 short@la.gov

Available Incentive Programs