LSU agent outlines replanting, grants and new cold-hardy citrus trials for Plaquemines Parish

Anna Timberman, an ANR agent with LSU Extension who said she covers Plaquemines and St. Bernard parishes, told the Plaquemines Parish Council on June 11 that the local citrus industry is in replant mode after heavy losses in recent winters.

Timberman said the parish’s citrus population has fallen dramatically from historic levels and that current counts show “about 6,000 to 7,000 mature trees in the parish currently.” She described a mix of short-term relief and longer-term research: the parish is applying for multiple state and federal grants, distributing tree-protective “screen bags” to new plantings, and partnering with the University of Florida to trial cold-hardy, disease-resistant cultivars. “The University of Florida is kind of leading the research edge in terms of new cultivar development,” she said.

Timberman described increases in financial assistance tied to disaster losses. Where growers previously could claim roughly $14 per lost tree under tree-assistance payouts, Timberman said the program has been adjusted to reflect current costs for diesel, fertilizer and nursery stock and now “should reflect $113 per tree.” She said the change matters for growers replanting hundreds or thousands of trees.

For disease control, Timberman described coordinated monitoring and biological controls: staff worked with USDA, soil and water conservation boards and growers to map vector surveillance and the timely release of parasitoid wasps to curb citrus greening spread. She also described local capacity-building work — workshops on budding and grafting and supply of budwood from an LSU facility in Violet, La.

Timberman said the parish and partners are pursuing an LDAF specialty crop block grant to buy protective tree bags, and a USDA national specialty crop block grant with the University of Florida and other Southern University extension partners to import and trial new material. She told the council the trial material will include several hybrid cultivars that tolerate colder temperatures and, in some cases, germplasm undergoing advanced breeding (her presentation noted gene-edited rootstock being evaluated for research purposes).

Timberman concluded by offering application help for local growers and said she is transitioning into additional parish-level responsibilities as a long-time Extension colleague retires. She invited questions and described several practical details — which cultivars have shown survivability in local trials and which grant programs are open to nonprofits and small producers.

Timberman’s presentation was followed by brief Q&A from council members and growers in the audience.