AGP Executive Report

Energy & Supply: The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve fell to 365.1 million barrels, the lowest since April 2024, as drawdowns continue amid Iran-related conflict. Agriculture & Inputs: Urea fertilizer prices in the U.S. have slid back toward pre-conflict levels, with New Orleans spot prices down to about $453/short ton, easing pressure on farmers even as weather risks linger. Industrial Policy: Louisiana lawmakers fast-tracked incentives for wood pellet mills, despite admitted uncertainty about pollution impacts—an issue tied to existing pellet operations in the state. Defense Manufacturing: Textron Systems restarted production of Mobile Strike Force Vehicles at its Louisiana facility for deliveries to Ukraine under a $163.4 million contract. Food Safety: FDA classified a voluntary recall of Alfredo sauce as Class I after potential salmonella contamination tied to a dry milk ingredient, affecting food service across 41 states. Local Business & Workforce: Ochsner named an AI healthcare VP and Southern University hired a BRCC CIO, while Meta’s data-center workforce efforts continue to ripple into Louisiana hiring. Environment & Courts: Louisiana joined states limiting climate-change lawsuits against oil and gas companies, aiming to block claims in state court. Coastal Risk: A new study finds “once-a-century” coastal floods now hit far more often worldwide, underscoring why Louisiana’s flood planning can’t rely on the past.

Energy & Industry: Shell’s Mars offshore platform hit a historic 1-billion-barrel production milestone, underscoring the Gulf’s long-running deepwater output and the jobs tied to it. LNG Markets: U.S. LNG exporters are finding Europe less willing to sign long-term deals, raising the risk of slower export investment and more price swings. Oil Supply Watch: The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is nearing a historic low as drawdowns continue, with the reserve now at its lowest level since April 2024. Agriculture & Inputs: U.S. urea fertilizer prices have fallen back toward pre-conflict levels, easing pressure on farmers even as El Niño and drought risks linger. Construction & Services: Baton Rouge specialty plastics contractor US FUSION & Specialty Construction announced it will attend Houston’s Energy Projects Conference & Expo to support energy, manufacturing, and data center projects. Local Environment: A Cameron Parish coastal use permit notice outlines proposed restoration work tied to a sand mining pit, with impacts to be weighed under Louisiana coastal rules. Workforce & Tech: Meta’s data center push is driving large teacher bonuses and training efforts aimed at data center jobs, including Louisiana-focused initiatives.

Energy & Supply Chains: The U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve is nearing a historic low as drawdowns continue, with the reserve at 365.1 million barrels—its lowest since April 2024—raising fresh questions for Gulf Coast energy planning. Agriculture & Costs: Urea fertilizer prices in the U.S. have fallen back toward pre-conflict levels (down about 36% from April highs), offering relief to farmers, though El Niño and ongoing shipping risk keep food inflation concerns alive. LNG Market Watch: U.S. LNG exporters are finding Europe less willing to sign long-term deals, which could slow investment in new export infrastructure and increase price swings. Local Industry & Workforce: US FUSION & Specialty Construction, based in Baton Rouge, is heading to Houston’s 2026 Energy Projects Conference & Expo to showcase specialty plastics piping and containment work for energy, manufacturing, and data centers. Healthcare Policy: The Trump administration has warned more than 500 hospitals to post clearer pricing or face penalties up to $2 million annually, pushing price transparency deeper into Louisiana’s broader healthcare cost debate. Community & Economy: Richland Parish teachers are receiving large “13th check” bonuses tied to local economic expansion linked to Meta’s Hyperion data center.

Meta Data Center Boosts Local Schools: Richland Parish says Meta’s Hyperion buildout helped drive sales-tax receipts high enough to fund teacher bonuses up to $50,935, a major jump from last year. Energy & Industry Watch: SunGas is stopping work on its Beaver Lake biofuels project, citing slower low-carbon methanol adoption and regulatory/financing uncertainty. Coastal Litigation Update: Coastal erosion cases tied to major oil firms remain “gratuitously complicated” after a Supreme Court ruling, with lawsuits facing new venue fights in federal court. Louisiana Workforce & Training: LDWF launched an ATV/UTV Safety Task Force kickoff, pointing to most injuries and deaths involving riders ages 10–14 and stressing helmet use. Agriculture Costs: Urea fertilizer prices in New Orleans have fallen back toward pre-conflict levels, easing pressure on farmers even as El Niño risks linger. Local Business & Retail: Trader Joe’s opened its Uptown New Orleans store, adding to Louisiana’s growing footprint. Public Services: USPS will close Louisiana post offices June 19 for Juneteenth, with digital and kiosk options still available.

Healthcare Costs & Transparency: The Trump administration is warning more than 500 hospitals to post clearer pricing or face penalties up to $2 million a year, signaling tighter enforcement of federal price-disclosure rules. Louisiana Energy Policy: Gov. Jeff Landry signed the Louisiana Energy Protection Act, limiting climate-change-related lawsuits against energy producers while still allowing cases tied to permit terms, emission caps, and safety rules. Data Centers & Local Jobs: Meta is rolling out a free “America’s Workforce Academy” to train U.S. workers for data-center construction, with Louisiana among the 2026 launch states. Local Economic Spillover: In Richland Parish, Meta-linked sales-tax growth is driving teacher bonuses topping $50,000, a rare example of industrial buildout funding school pay. Food Access: LDH expanded the Louisiana Carrot Initiative to all Walmart stores statewide, boosting SNAP purchases of fresh fruits and vegetables with monthly EBT-linked bonuses. Forestry & Land Management: LDAF and LDWF launched the Louisiana Forestry Initiative, a $3M+ cost-share program to help private landowners improve forest health and wildlife habitat. Maritime Business Rules: A new podcast episode highlights how changing federal and state approaches are reshaping noncompete agreements for maritime employers, with Louisiana and Texas in focus.

Healthcare Cost Transparency: The Trump administration warned more than 500 hospitals to post basic pricing or face penalties up to $2M annually, signaling tighter enforcement of federal rules that could reshape how Louisiana providers handle billing and patient-facing estimates. Seafood Labeling: Gov. Jeff Landry signed HB 857 to crack down on commingled seafood sold as Louisiana product, with fines up to $50,000 for businesses that mislabel origin—an issue for restaurants and the state’s working waterfront. Timber Investment: C&C Forest Products will invest $21M to rebuild its Coushatta sawmill after a 2025 fire, targeting 77 direct jobs and up to 90 million board feet annually. Workforce & Training: Google.org says it will fund training for 300,000+ Americans for skilled trades, aligning with the broader push to staff construction and infrastructure projects. Energy & LNG: Delfin Midstream won a greenlight for a $5B floating LNG terminal off Cameron Parish, while Venture Global closed $2.25B in senior secured notes—both underscoring Louisiana’s continued role in LNG buildout. Coastal Risk Research: New findings suggest Louisiana land sinks in irregular phases, not steady rates, raising stakes for coastal planning and flood resilience.

Fertilizer & Ag Supply: U.S. urea prices in New Orleans have slid about 36% from April highs, returning near pre–Iran-conflict levels, easing pressure on Louisiana farmers even as drought keeps risk in key growing regions. Timber & Jobs: C&C Forest Products is investing $21M to rebuild its Coushatta sawmill after a 2025 fire, targeting specialty lumber/timber and up to 90 million board feet annually, with 77 new direct jobs and 27 retained. Workforce & Construction: ABC and Meta launched a $115M America’s Workforce Academy to train data-center construction workers, with Louisiana included among the first states and graduates promised job offers on Meta projects. Local Economy & Education: Richland Parish teachers are set to receive unusually large “13th check” payments after Meta’s tax contribution boosted sales-tax collections. Health & Food Access: ADA 2026 research highlights “food as medicine” programs improving diabetes outcomes for food-insecure youth, with home-delivered medically supplemental groceries tied to better A1c and fewer sugary drinks. Weather Watch: New Orleans-area forecasts warn of dangerous heat and humidity with heat index values near 105 by Friday and Saturday. Tech & Hiring: WorkNOLA relaunches with a redesigned job platform adding employer tools, resume management, and anti-fraud security.

Energy & Agriculture: U.S. urea fertilizer prices slid 36% from April peaks, with New Orleans spot urea down to about $453/short ton, easing pressure on farmers even as drought keeps risk high. Oil Markets: The Strategic Petroleum Reserve is being drawn down as Trump’s Iran policy drains supplies, pushing the reserve toward its lowest level in decades. AI Data Centers & Power: A new study says AI data centers can create “data heat island” effects around sites, while grid watchdogs warn large power demand could strain utilities nationwide. Louisiana Food Access: The Louisiana Carrot Initiative is now available at all Walmart and Walmart Neighborhood Market locations statewide, boosting SNAP fresh fruit and vegetable purchases with automatic EBT credits. Local Industry & Construction: Lafayette is moving toward demolishing the remaining Coburn’s building after a collapse, with state and federal approvals still in play. Workforce & Tech: Meta is rolling out AI workforce training in Louisiana, aiming to feed construction and data-center hiring needs. Health Costs: The Trump administration warned 500+ hospitals to post pricing or face fines, adding pressure for more transparent healthcare costs. Business/Entertainment: Shreveport’s state incentive payments tied to Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s downtown film plans are moving forward after review of timelines and flood repairs.

AI Data Centers & Jobs: Meta is pushing ahead with its AI infrastructure build-out in Louisiana, including a $115M “America’s Workforce Academy” offering free skilled-trades training and job offers tied to data center construction, with Baton Rouge named as a pilot location. Local Impact & Politics: In Richland Parish, Meta’s $27B data center is driving major “13th check” sales-tax bonuses for teachers, but a separate investigation raises ethics questions about a state senator who helped advance the project while selling land nearby. Energy Infrastructure: Sempra Infrastructure has activated the 72-mile Port Arthur Pipeline Louisiana Connector ahead of schedule to feed the Port Arthur LNG Phase 1 project, boosting Gulf Coast gas delivery capacity. Healthcare Costs: The Trump administration warned hospitals nationwide—including two CSRA facilities—to post pricing or face penalties up to $2M annually, adding pressure on Louisiana providers to comply. Agriculture & Biosecurity: Louisiana is tightening livestock movement rules after New World screwworm cases were confirmed in Texas and New Mexico, with expanded sterile fly releases aimed at stopping spread. Environment & Industry: Hyundai-POSCO Louisiana Steel is revising its Ascension Parish air permit after environmental groups raised concerns, including switching some heaters from gas to electric to cut emissions. Education & Budgets: St. Landry Parish schools are weighing closures and cuts amid an $18M shortfall after ESSER funding ended.

Energy & LNG: Shell hit a major offshore milestone, saying its Mars platform has produced 1 billion barrels since first oil in 1996, tying the deepwater asset to Louisiana-linked Gulf infrastructure. Natural Gas Infrastructure: Sempra Infrastructure began operating the Port Arthur Louisiana Connector pipeline, adding a 2 Bcf/d corridor from the Gillis Hub near Sulphur to the Port Arthur export terminal under construction in Texas. AI & Data Centers (Louisiana): Meta launched its America’s Workforce Academy with a $115M first-year push, including a Baton Rouge pilot to train skilled trades for AI data center construction. Skilled Trades Jobs: The academy promises cost-free training and job guarantees for graduates, aiming to feed the labor needs behind the AI buildout. Aviation & Jobs (Acadiana): One Acadiana announced a $74M hangar expansion at Acadiana Regional Airport, targeting 845 new jobs and supported by LDEQ’s Fast Sites. Healthcare Costs: The Trump administration warned more than 500 hospitals nationwide—including letters tied to price transparency—with penalties up to $2M annually for noncompliance. Agriculture Biosecurity: Louisiana reiterated screwworm precautions as sterile-fly production ramps up after detections in Texas, with tighter livestock movement rules across state lines. Local Business & Growth: Baton Rouge Community College hired Jonathan Parker as head baseball coach, highlighting continued investment in student-athlete development. Construction/Logistics Tech: A new river freight forecasting dataset aims to help Mississippi River operators plan ahead by tracking barge movement patterns.

AI Infrastructure Workforce: Meta and Associated Builders and Contractors launched America’s Workforce Academy, a $115M, free, job-guarantee training push for data center construction trades, with pilot cohorts starting in Louisiana (first), plus Indiana, Ohio and Texas—covering tuition, travel and housing while building skills for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, welding and fiber work. Local Business & Construction Costs: Visit Baton Rouge delayed its downtown office relocation after bids for the 232 Lafayette St. renovation came in far above the $5M estimate, pushing the timeline and forcing scope changes. Public Health & Consumer Safety: Target recalled two Up & Up baby wipe varieties sold in Louisiana after FDA testing found harmful bacteria in packages. Energy & Inflation Pressure: Gas prices stayed volatile, with Louisiana reporting some of the lowest weekly regular and diesel figures in select parishes, while national drivers still feel the Iran-and-shipping-linked oil market squeeze. Water Infrastructure Policy: New Orleans lead-pipe replacement hinges on a statewide constitutional amendment that would let federal funds flow to privately owned service lines. Food Safety Oversight: Louisiana health inspections flagged multiple Shreveport and Bossier City restaurants with repeated critical violations.

AI Workforce Push in Louisiana: Meta is rolling out its $115M America’s Workforce Academy with free, five-week skilled-trades training and a job guarantee for graduates, with Louisiana named as a pilot location (including a Baton Rouge site) aimed at staffing AI data center construction and operations. Mega Private Credit for AI Chips: Apollo and Blackstone finalized a $35B private credit package to help Anthropic expand AI infrastructure, including financing for Google-developed chips—another sign of how fast Louisiana’s data-center buildout demand is being funded nationwide. Energy & Offshore Work: SLB OneSubsea won a subsea boosting contract for BP’s Thunder Horse project in the Gulf of Mexico, supporting continued production from one of the region’s biggest deepwater assets. Hydrogen Manufacturing: NovaSpark plans to expand hydrogen generator production in Louisiana with new plants in Ouachita and Terrebonne Parishes, targeting hundreds of jobs and broader manufacturing growth. Agriculture Biosecurity: Louisiana tightened animal import rules after New World screwworm was confirmed in Texas, raising stakes for cattle movements and farm economics. Local Business/Tech Marketing: 1 Percent Lists is giving franchisees 90 days of free “Agentic Tools for Real Estate” from One Click SEO to boost AI-driven local search visibility. Higher Ed Compliance: Louisiana colleges moved to post Ten Commandments in classrooms under state law, following orders from Republican lawmakers. Road Rage Watch: A new report says Louisiana ranks third nationally for road rage and aggressive driving tied to fatal crashes.

Private Trucking: The National Private Truck Council says private fleets are in a “historically strong position,” helped by service and safety focus, even as the for-hire market keeps shrinking after major carrier exits. Energy & Fuel Costs: GasBuddy reports show Union Parish premium gas hitting $4.39 (week ending May 30) and similar localized lows across parishes, while analysts point to Middle East tensions and refinery outages keeping prices volatile in 2026. Power Infrastructure: SWEPCO is advancing the Hallsville site with major turbine foundation work, a step toward a new 450-megawatt natural gas plant expected to start commercial operations in December 2027. Manufacturing & Defense Supply Chain: HII partner Bayou Metals launched a dedicated manufacturing line in Slidell to speed ROMULUS unmanned surface vessel production. Transportation Projects: DOTD announced road closures tied to railroad repairs in Shreveport and pipe-rack relocation work for Phillips 66 near Westlake, plus ongoing drainage work in Marksville. Legal/Industry Risk: A federal appeals court upheld dismissal of Louisiana oystermen’s Bonnet Carre Spillway lawsuit, limiting claims tied to 2019 oyster losses. Grid & Water Pressure: A new analysis warns many U.S. data centers are being planned in drought-hit areas, with on-site power generation likely pushing up energy costs.

LNG & Construction: Cheniere Energy Partners hired Bechtel to engineer, procure and build the first phase of its Sabine Pass LNG expansion, adding 6 million mtpa under a $4.69 billion contract, with a first-phase final investment decision targeted for early 2027. Roads & Logistics: Louisiana DOTD says intermittent lane closures are coming to LA 3036 (N. Common) in Shreveport for about two weeks starting June 11 as concrete pavement repairs begin, with the broader $1.6 million project aiming to finish in fall 2026. Healthcare & Workforce: CMS data show Heritage Manor South in Shreveport maintained a four-star overall rating in Q1 2026, with no fines or penalties, as Louisiana’s older population continues to grow. Coastal & Industry Policy: A letter argues that any potential space-industry interest in Vermilion Parish should also address long-standing coastal mismanagement by restoring tidal exchange and fixing hydrology. Local Business: French Quarter fine-dining staple Café Sbisa will close permanently after months of lost foot traffic tied to Decatur Street construction. Energy Prices: GasBuddy reports show Louisiana regular gas averaging $3.90 for the week ending May 30, with multiple parish-level lows including $3.83 in Winn Parish and $3.85 in Richland Parish. Oyster Industry: Louisiana Sea Grant, LSU AgCenter and the Louisiana Oyster Taskforce will host a free commercial oyster workshop June 17 in Jeanerette covering coastal habitats, workforce, and market needs.

Data Centers & Power Strain: A new report says data-center criticism is rising as AI-driven demand pushes power needs higher, with gas generation increasingly used to meet it—raising emissions concerns even as companies market “green” plans. Louisiana Tech Expansion: Meta is moving ahead with its Hyperion data-center campus in Richland Parish, promising major jobs and local contracts while residents debate water use and tax breaks. Energy & Fuel Prices: GasBuddy spotlights lower prices across Louisiana, including premium at $4.89 in St. Mary Parish and diesel at $4.86 in Beauregard Parish for the week ending May 30, alongside broader volatility tied to global oil and shipping risks. Obesity Drug Pipeline (ADA 2026): Boehringer Ingelheim’s survodutide Phase III results show targeted visceral and liver-fat reductions, while Antag Therapeutics shared early AT7687 Phase 1 data in New Orleans. Workforce & Growth in Acadiana: Carencro’s rapid growth continues to pull investment, highlighted by Walk-On’s planned opening on I-49 that will hire about 100. Public Safety: A Prairieville daycare operator was arrested after a 3-year-old drowned in a backyard pool while left unsupervised for about 20 minutes. Critical Minerals: The U.S. DOE awarded $134 million for rare earth projects, including a demonstration facility near Gramercy in St. John the Baptist Parish.

Diabetes Tech in the Spotlight (ADA 2026): New Orleans hosted major diabetes updates, including the ADA’s Innovation Challenge winners—Adaptyx Biosciences, Nymble Health, and Silverstream Medical—plus new trial and real-world data pushing continuous glucose monitoring further into non-insulin type 2 care. New Evidence on CGM Use: The CONNECT randomized trial reported clinically meaningful A1C reductions for adults with type 2 diabetes not using insulin, while additional real-world results highlighted sustained performance for implantable Eversense 365 in both open- and closed-loop systems. Obesity Drug Momentum (ADA 2026): Phase 3 retatrutide results were presented for both type 2 diabetes and obesity/overweight, with researchers pointing to weight loss and improvements tied to conditions like obstructive sleep apnea and knee osteoarthritis. Louisiana Politics (U.S. Senate): In Southwest Louisiana, candidates Julia Letlow and John Fleming made their cases ahead of the June 27 runoff, including sharp differences on carbon capture. Energy & Costs (Gas Prices): GasBuddy reported some of the week’s lowest local regular and premium prices across multiple parishes, while broader coverage tied volatility to global oil and refinery conditions. Local Business & Jobs: St. Landry Parish economic development lost longtime director Bill Rodier, a key figure in growth along the I-49 corridor.