March 2011 Articles

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Just Rambling March 2011

Just Rambling:
I would like to congratulate Jimmy Hoppe of Fenton, LA on the award he received from the Louisiana Rice Council for his work as their President and in promoting the rice industry. Donnette and I met Jimmy many years ago on a trip to Washington D.C. for 4-H volunteers. Jimmy is a fine individual and a good rice farmer. Each year at the North Louisiana Ag Expo we get to see Jimmy and purchase rice from him. Jimmy produces a Jasmine rice that is great—we love it. If you are interested in ordering rice from Hoppe Farms, give Jimmy a call at 337-756-2259. Congratulations again, Jimmy.
Are you a cattleman? If so, have you joined your parish or county cattlemen association? If not, please consider joining not only your local association, but your state association and national association—National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. When paying dues to your parish/county, you can also pay your dues for both your state and national association at the same time. If you are not familiar with your local parish/county association, then you can call Louisiana Cattlemen Association at 225-343-3491 or Arkansas Cattlemen Association at 501-224-2114. Both of these state associations can give you the details on how to become a member of your local, state, and national associations. Strength is in numbers and as cattlemen we need to join together to better promote our industry.
I would like to thank Vendal Fairchild and Terry Boone, Vice Presidents with Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association, for attending the recent Union Parish Cattlemen’s meeting to provide updates on the state association and to offer assistance to our parish association, if needed. I would also like to congratulate Lance Bruce as our new Union Parish President.
Along this same line, I recently spoke with Robin Bridges, County Agent for Union County, AR about the Union Country Cattlemen’s meeting in February. Robin said they had a real good meeting and a good turnout for the meeting. Rhett Hanry is the President of the Union Country Cattlemen’s Association. As a member of both Union Parish and Union Country Cattlemen’s Association, I didn’t get to attend the Union County meeting due to a conflict with the Northeast Louisiana Livestock Show in Delhi, where my daughter was showing her cattle. Hopefully, I will be able to attend their next scheduled meeting.
I would like to extend a “Big Thank You” to Dr. Mike Strain, Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry for the work he and his staff did administering the funds to poultry growers affected by the Pilgrim’s Pride bankruptcy. These funds came through the Poultry Growers Assistance Program managed by the USDA, but each of the nine states involved had to handle all the paperwork for growers in their respective state. (see article—page 10) Rene’ Simon was in charge of this task for Dr. Strain. Thank you Rene’ for the work you and your staff put in to get these funds out to growers. In many cases, these funds meant the difference in being able to survive on their farm or having to liquidate. A special thanks to Mike Buchart as point man for Rene’ on this project and to Jason Holmes, County Agent, Union and Jackson Parishes, who was very instrumental to this process, working both with Rene’ Simon and growers. Speaking for other growers that qualified in the other states, I know they are very thankful to their state personnel that processed these grants and growers in all nine states are extremely thankful to Senator Blanche Lincoln, who, to my understanding, was the driving force behind these grants to aid poultry growers that had been hurt financially by the Pilgrim Pride bankruptcy. Van Bennett