BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — The LSU AgCenter is getting $1 million in federal funds to tackle the removal of invasive species throughout Louisiana by creating the Mississippi River Invasive Species Consortium.
The university said the new hub will serve as a place for research and outreach to combat invasive species such as microorganisms, plants and animals that aren’t native to ecosystems.
“Invasive species cost Louisiana’s agricultural producers and the state’s economy tens of millions of dollars annually, with a national impact exceeding $120 billion each year,” said Matt Lee, senior vice chancellor of the LSU AgCenter and dean of the LSU College of Agriculture. “This funding will allow us to coordinate detection, identification, research and best management practices to mitigate these threats and protect our region’s vital agricultural and natural resources.”…