Wow - What a week! I hope everyone enjoyed their time in New Orleans for the LFBF Annual Meeting. I think it was a great time to catch up with old friends and get to know a few new ones. I’d like to congratulate all the winners at the convention.
Thanks to all the participants and applicants for all the work you put into preparing for the LFBF Convention. Thanks also to those parish voting delegates who helped to develop LFBF Policy for the upcoming year, your roles as voting delegates are some of the most important in our organization.
I look forward to working with you all in the upcoming year!
July 2, 2008
June 26-29 marks the dates for the 2008 LFBF Annual Meeting. Members from across Louisiana will gather in New Orleans to develop policy, attend commodity meetings, and see who will receive some of the top honors given by the Louisiana Farm Bureau. Members will also get a chance to catch up with old friends, pull for their favorite contestants and out bid each other in the Silent Auction.
June 20, 2008
The 2008 Foundation Fishing Tournament was held in Cocodrie, LA on Thursday, June 12, 2008. The weather was great the fishing (mostly) was great, and I think everyone had a wonderful time. Fishermen and volunteers arrived on Wednesday to register and enjoy some South Louisiana cooking. On Thursday, after a full day of fishing, the boats returned! Back at the dock the fishermen headed for the scales. As the crowd gathered to watch the weigh-in, the fish tales started.
Special thanks o the sponsors, volunteers and of course the fishermen! We look forward to seeing everone back next year. Make plans now to be a the 2009 Fishing Tournament — someone’s gotta catch the one’s that got away!
June 20, 2008
The Franklin Parish Farm Bureau held its annual meeting March 17 and awarded $10,000 in scholarships to local high school students. The $10,000 was in addition to the $4,000 awarded to the Franklin Parish Farm Bureau queen, Kaitlyn McManus earlier in the year. Katelyn Leonard was first runner up and received $1,000 scholarship, while Lainey Wilson, second runner-up, also received $1,000.
“It’s our way of giving back to those Farm Bureau members who’ve supported our organization over the years,” said Scott Wiggers, Franklin Parish Farm Bureau president. “Since we began these scholarships we’ve awarded more than $60,000 to local students who plan on going to college.”
This year’s scholarship winners were Ryan Acker, William Bland, Kristin Carson, Shalisa Hollis, Katie Kincaid, Shelby Kiper, Blake Oliver, Michael Rawls, Corey Wright and Michael Young.
Click here to view photos of this year’s scholarship winners
Also during the meeting the Franklin Parish Farm Bureau board of directors named Brown McLemore a lifetime member of its board. McLemore served for 40 years as treasurer and parish board member. He is a retired produce grower.
Congratulations to all our scholarship winners and to Mr. McLemore.
March 27, 2008
It’s that time of year again and Women for the state and parish Women’s Leadership Committees gathered in Baton Rouge this weekend for the Spring Meeting. The agenda was filled with timely topics, including Women’s Health Issues, Ronald McDonald House Charities, AITC, Legislative Issues, and presentations by AFBF personnel on working together. Participants also found time for a little fun and as usual a chance to catch up with Farm Bureau friends. From the comments I heard, a good time was had by all.
March 17, 2008
Wow - It seems like ever since the AFBF Convention in New Orleans we have been on a whirlwind! But we got to slow things down a little bit on the Membership Incentive Trip to Santa Barbara County, CA. Parish Presidents from all over the state were able to see first hand California agriculture in action. We got to visit with California farmers, or ranchers as they call themselves, and hear what issues and concerns they deal with in their operations. We got to visit strawberry, vegetable, citrus, avocado and cut flower operations and also got a tour of Firestone Winery. It was an amazing trip and the California folks ordered beautiful weather for our visit. They also treated us to a wonderful California Special - Tri-Tip BBQ with all the (delicious) fixings! Special thanks to Teri and the Santa Barbara County board members for the hospitality! Keep in mind that the 2008 Membership Incentive Trip is to Washington DC in Spring of 2009. We hope you can join us!
Cut Flowers
Firestone Winery Shall we taste?
Lunchtime Strawberries
March 17, 2008
It is that time of year- the time when parishes hold their annual membership meetings. This period started in February with St. Landry parish. St. Landry held their annual meeting in a standing room only Yambalee Building in Opelousas. This year’s talent winners and queen contestant were introduced. Local politicians were present to visit with the crowd.
Iberia parish held their meeting on March 2nd. Their annual meeting was held at the Jefferson Island Conference Center west of New Iberia. Local politicians and state legislators were in attendance and each addressed the group. Pointe Coupee held their annual meeting in New Roads. During this meeting their incoming board was elected, resolutions to the La Farm Bureau Board of Directors were passed, and winners of the raffle benefiting AgriPac were announced.
Finally, Lafayette parish held their annual meeting in Ridge, La. Women’s, Young Farmers and Ranchers, and Ag in the Classroom reports were given. AgCenter personnel were on hand to give an update on events that the AgCenter hosts. Awards were given to outstanding members of the local board of directors.
More annual meetings are scheduled. Meetings in Iberville, St. Martin, and St. Mary parishes are coming soon!
March 12, 2008
As the result of a resolution submitted by the Iberia Parish Farm Bureau Board, a committee was appointed to examine the tenant- landlord agreements that currently exist and the legalities that these agreements entail. Nine members from various parishes were appointed to this committee which met on February 21, 2008 at the Iberia Parish Farm Bureau Office.
This committee visited about several current situation reguarding agricultural leases. This committee has asked that the Louisiana Farm Bureau Board of Directors support the three following topics:
1. Before the landowner sells land out of cultivation, the landowner must notify the farmer in a timely manner of his intention to sell the land.
2. Before the land is developed, the landowner must financially compensate the farmer for his crop and investments or reach a mutual agreement for financial compensation with the farmer for his crop and investment.
3. Changes to make private companies liable for legal expenses in expropriation of land by private entities if they lose their case.
The committee also discussed possible legislation requiring specific allocation of part of the purchase price of agriculture property be given to the evicted tenant at a specified value as determined by the statistical values published by the LSU AgCenter. Other meetings that pertain to this issue will be scheduled after action is taken by the State Board.
March 11, 2008
Phares’ Restaurant was the stage for a legislative supper hosted by the Louisiana Farm Bureau. The parishes of Iberia, Vermilion, Lafayette, and St. Martin were all represented by members of each parish’s Farm Bureau Board. The local board members in attendance were able to socialize with their legislators and discuss issues that are of importance in their parish. This was a great opportunity for the delegation to reconnect with returning members of the legislature as well as meet the new faces that have appeared this spring.
Farm Bureau members in attendance at this event were able to visit with Senator Nick Gautreaux, Senator Mike Michot, Representative Fred H. Mills, and Representative Patrick Page Cortez. Over fifty parish board members were in attendance on the evening of March 5th.
Lafourche and Assumption parish farm bureaus followed suit, hosting legislative suppers for their respective parishes. Lafourche , in conjunction with the Lafourche Cattlemen’s Association, welcomed legislators to the Raceland Agriculture Complex building on March 13th. Mike Strain was their key speaker, followed by representation from Mary Landrieu’s office, the City-Parish President, the Lafourche levee board, and the Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association.
Assumption Parish Farm Bureau took a more subtle approach by inviting their state legislators to the parish office for an informal dinner. Representatives Joe Harrison, Karen St. Germain, and Elton Aubert attended and had the opportunity to tell board members about the projects and legislation that they are currently working on and converse about these. The individual board members voiced their issues currently facing their industry and informed the legislators about legislation coming forward in the regular session.
As these legislation gatherings continue to occur, we see various styles and venues that have been utilized while allowing for the same end result, the ability to meet with and discuss current issues that are in need of legislative attention. Great job to those who have held such meetings!
March 11, 2008
For two days members of the Louisiana Farm Bureau visited the farms and ranches of Santa Barbara County. This trip was provided as an incentive to those parishes who obtained membership quota for 2007. The group toured a cut flower operation, a citrus and avocado farm, Firestone Vinyard, a vegetable operation, and a strawberry farm. Those attending were as follows:
Jackie and Sue Theriot- LFBF Board
Mike and Pam Melancon- LFBF Board
Allen Theriot- St. Martin Parish
Tom and Linda Ellender- LFBF Board
Cecil and Sally Ramagos- Iberville Parish
Joey and Denise Olivier- St. Landry Parish
Curt and Lucy Engemann- Pointe Coupee Parish
Gary and Colette Gravois- Assumption Parish
March 11, 2008
