Catching Up With Cade Lejeune: Louisiana FFA Executive Director
This week is National FFA Week. As part of the celebration, the Louisiana FFA state officer team came to visit Louisiana Farm Bureau to film an episode of This Week In Louisiana Agriculture. That's a tradition that started when Cade LeJeune, then the Executive Secretary of Louisiana FFA, began working with the team at Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation to promote the great work of the organization. This week, Karl Wiggers sits down with Cade to discuss his new job with Louisiana FFA and how he came to find his career in agriculture education.
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Louisiana Leader Joins American Farm Bureau YF&R Committee
Louisiana again has a voice on the national stage. Racheal Duncan of Rapides Parish grows cut flowers, helps her husband, Robert, on their soybean and cattle farm and is a mother to three daughters. She is now on the American Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee. Karl Wiggers sat down with Duncan at the recent AFBF Annual Convention in San Antonio to discuss this big step and how serving in Louisiana Farm Bureau opened doors for her to grow in leadership.
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Pulling Traps of Promise for 2025 Crawfish Season
The weather is warming up and so is crawfish production in Louisiana! This week, Karl Wiggers visits with rice and crawfish farmer Dylan Benoit at his field in Jeff Davis Parish. They discuss the outlook on this year's crawfish season, Benoit being raised on the farm, as well as what works and what doesn't in crawfish economics.
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American Relief Act: How $31B is Helping American Farmers Stay in Business
In December, Congress passed the American Relief Act, a continuing resolution to fund the government and provide immediate economic relief to American farmers. The appropriations for supplemental assistance and disaster relief added up to nearly $31 Billion dollars -- a massive win for agriculture. In this episode, Karl Wiggers and Andy Brown sit down with some friends from Tensas parish, Kellon Lee and Josh Copes, to see what this relief is going to mean to them.
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The Value of Investing in Future Ag Leaders
Leadership at home often means seeing the big picture and the place Louisiana agriculture has on the global scale. LSU Agricultural Leadership Development Program Class XVIII is gaining that global perspective right now visiting farms and businesses in The Netherlands and Belgium. Avery Davidson speaks with LSU Ag Leadership Director Dr. Bobby Soileau in this episode of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast to find out why that world perspective provides clarity on the local level.
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President's Perspective -- Optimism Moving Into A New Year
This year is growing in the right direction for Louisiana farmers. As Christmas approached, Congress passed a Continuing Resolution, the American Relief Act, to fund the government through March. In addition to avoiding a government shutdown, there is major supplemental assistance for farmers and aid for those affected by natural disasters over the past couple of years. The Act also extended the existing farm bill for another year. On this episode of the podcast, Louisiana Farm Bureau President, Richard Fontenot reflects on that huge win for his friends and neighbors in agriculture and wants to build on that momentum to a new Farm Bill.
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President's Perspective: 2024 Cuba Trade Mission Recap
In this episode of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast, we explore a recent trade mission to Cuba, led by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. The trip brought together a Louisiana delegation, including Commissioner Mike Strain, elected officials, and LSU AgCenter personnel, to discuss trade opportunities and foster diplomatic relations. Joining the conversation are Louisiana Farm Bureau President Richard Fontenot and Second Vice President Burch Pierce, who share their firsthand experiences from the trip.
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A New Farm Bill is Not Enough
Louisiana Farm Bureau volunteer leaders recently traveled to the nation's capitol to advocate for some much needed relief for Louisiana farmers and ranchers. Their message was clear -- it's time for a new farm bill, but that's not enough. Congress' failure to pass a 5 year safety net has created the need for immediate supplemental assistance so farmers can keep farming. The group of leaders discuss the trip and what you can do to make a difference.
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Bringing Ag into the Louisiana Classroom
Louisiana Ag In The Classroom is a fantastic resource for teachers to incorporate, you guessed it, agriculture into lessons in the classroom. Louisiana AITC State Coordinator Lynda Danos joins Karl Wiggers in the studio this week to discuss those amazing resources and how AITC is continuing to find new ways to support and partner with teachers across the state.
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Lessons In Drought And The Part You Play
The past couple months have been dry in Louisiana, with the exception of a couple pockets and a quick tropical system that rolled through the state. Drought conditions are affecting farmers and ranchers across the state, but the tool used by USDA in determining financial assistance may not be keeping up with conditions on the ground. Avery Davidson sits down with Louisiana State Climatologist, Jay Grymes, and Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry, Mike Strain, to discuss how you can help paint the picture of Louisiana's drought.
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