Agricultural Chemistry Department Profile October 2010 Agricultural Chemistry Address: Rm 102 Highland Road LSU campus Phone: 225-342-5812 Fax: 225-342-0027 Website: LSUAgCenter.com/ departments/Ag_Chemistry Highlights The Agricultural Chemistry Department provides analytical Office Hours: chemistry support to the research and extension efforts of the 7:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. LSU AgCenter. Analyses are performed on plant and animal Monday-Friday tissues, soil, water, feeds, fertilizers, pesticides agricultural chemicals and agricultural commodities. The laboratory will analyze these sample types for the general public for a fee. In Mark LeBlanc, Ph.D. addition, AgChemistry provides regulatory monitoring of animal Department Head feeds, pet foods, plant food and agriculture liming materials for [email protected]. the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. edu Research Highlights Researchers within the LSU AgCenter utilize the AgChemistry Research Focus: analytical capabilities to perform tests for protein, fat and fiber Researchers within the in feeds, nutrients and metals in water, chemical residue LSU AgCenter utilize the matrices, antibiotic use in feeds, PCBs in marine mammals, AgChemistry Department melamine in feeds and for other studies. Laboratory equipment available within the AgChemistry unit include state of the art for analytical services multiple gas and liquid chromatographs, ICP and tandem mass required by their research spectrometers. projects. Regulatory Highlights AgChemistry is the analytical laboratory for the Division of Regulatory Focus: Pesticide and Environmental Programs of the Louisiana AgChemistry is the official Department of Agriculture and Forestry and is responsible for analyzing agricultural laboratory responsible for chemicals and other farm input components as part of the regulatory enforcement of analyzing agricultural pesticides, feed, pet foods, fertilizers, limes and for the meat inspection program for the state of Louisiana. Analyses are performed on plant and animal tissues, soil, water, feeds, chemicals and other farm pet foods, fertilizers, pesticide formulations, marketplace samples of pesticides, structural input components. mixes, agricultural chemicals, agricultural commodities, water monitoring, disinfectants, Extension Focus: damage complaints, veterinary The Agricultural Chemistry pharmaceuticals and meat and seafood products. The AgChemistry Laboratory is a Department provides member of the Food Emergency Response analytical support for Network (FERN). extension personnel of the LSU AgCenter. Extension Highlights AgChemistry provides analytical support for LSU AgCenter extension personnel and the general public for a fee. Tours of the facility for classes and professional groups are available on appointment. AgChemistry Department October 2010 Significance of Programs AgChemistry Department Facts The regulatory, research and Building: 53,000 square feet extension work done by Ag Employees: 21 Chemistry Department includes Inorganic samples analyses of over 10,000 samples Feed per year. In addition, Louisiana Liquid Fertilizer consumers are assured quality Dry Fertilizer product purchases with registration Research and review of product labels on Miscellaneous feeds, pet foods, fertilizer and Organic samples agricultural liming products. The Residue Department also provides analytical Formulations support for the Food Emergency Research Samples Response Network (FERN), the Water Environmental Protection Agency Feed (EPA) and the United States Fertilizer Department of Agriculture (USDA). Chemical residue Plant tissue Future Plans In 2009, the AgChemistry Laboratory was accepted into FERN laboratory system. This endeavor allowed AgChemistry to enter into a cooperative agreement with the USDA FSIS which will provide an exciting future for expansion of laboratory work and research dynamics for the LSU AgCenter. The addition of new types of analytic chemistry equipment will allow researchers to seek answers using chemical and microbiological methodologies previously unavailable. Additional cooperative agreements are expected with this association. .