"Change Through Biotechnology" by State Vice President Trevor Touchet

February Blog

What is biotechnology? Biotechnology—an area of agricultural science involving the use of scientific tools and techniques, including genetic engineering, molecular markers, molecular diagnostics, vaccines, and tissue culture, to modify living organisms: plants, animals, and microorganisms. It’s obvious that without biotechnology, agriculture wouldn’t be what it is today. Let’s take a trip down memory lane to a time before biotechnology. We have grown a lot since the beginning of farming. For example, we have developed GMOs, various vaccines for animals, and pest resistant crops to aid in producing enough food to feed our growing world. With the world’s population expecting to reach 9.7 billion by the year 2050, biotechnology plays a huge role in accomplishing this goal by helping to increase crop yield.

Biotechnology is vital to agriculture. It allows farmers to grow more food on less land while using farming practices that are more environmentally sustainable. With the use of biotechnology, farmers yield more per acre, plants resist specific insects and pests, and farming techniques can be used to improve soil conservation. Farmers and ranchers can help plants and animals fight diseases and adapt to environmental stress and climate change. We can enhance the nutritional content of foods and improve human health through plant and animal produced therapies. There are so many more benefits of biotechnology and it will play a huge role in farming for years to come.

Biotechnology provides farmers with tools that can make production cheaper and more manageable. For example, some biotechnology crops can be engineered to tolerate specific herbicides, which makes weed control simpler and more efficient. Other crops have been engineered to be resistant to specific plant diseases and pests, which can make pest control more reliable and effective which could also help decrease the use of synthetic pesticides. In addition to genetically engineered crops, biotechnology has helped make other improvements in agriculture not involving plants. Examples of such advances include improvements in antibiotic production  and producing new animal vaccines, such as foot & mouth disease and rabies. As you can see biotechnology not only plays a major role in the future of our crops, but it also has huge importance in strengthening our animals as well.

All in all, biotechnology is of grave importance for the future of our nation and the world. Without it, feeding the world in the future might not be possible, but biotechnology can only do so much.  World population is expected to double within the next few decades, meaning that food and crop production must be able to meet the rising demand. With new advancements everyday, biotechnology has already done so much to change how we currently feed the world. Imagine what it will be in 20 years! However, these advancements would not be possible without aspiring agriculturalists like yourself.  So, I challenge YOU all to be those that we need to make the change you want to see in the world!

"What Makes Me Who I Am" by State Sentinel Lindsey Detraz

January Blog

It is the most underestimated time of the year again, calving season. When passing a cattle pasture most may think “look at all the cute little babies” or “that poor cow must be taking a nap”. For cattle farmers and livestock showers this is a much different ball game. Those calves are a brand new bag of ear tags, and that momma cow taking a nap turns into a dreaded 2am distress call. It may sound like a hassle, but for us, the party is just getting started. The next few months consist of pasture checks, vaccinating, weaning, culling, and--my favorite part--shopping for the next grand champion show project. 

We always hear the basic things that livestock projects give to youth showmen; like responsibility, work ethic, showmanship, etc. Although these are all amazingly true, we never talk about the aspects that make a showman. Growing up surrounded by cattle, it seemed like every weekend we were working them, fixing fence, or moving them to more level ground for a storm coming. Those weekends soon turned into every day and night spent in the barn working with my animals prepping for the upcoming show. To my classmates this was a silly, stinky hobby, but to me it was not only a lifestyle but my future.  

After 7 years of showing, my parish’s cattlewomen’s president Ms. Tweety Trahan approached me with what seemed like the most ridiculous question. She asked me to be Vermilion Parish’s Cattlemen’s Queen. My head spun for weeks thinking about how could a little country bumpkin like me be a beauty queen. After a lot of thinking, I finally gave in to her request and every day I am beyond grateful I did. At first, it was completely terrifying going through interviews, talking in front of people, and being the face of our parish’s cattle industry. I soon realized having this crown on my head may have made me look different, but even without it on I was the same person. I soon became a role model for the kids at the show barn, and the one they came to for advice inside and outside the show ring. It was not long that I realized what my cows have given me, it was not a crown or local fame, they gave me so much more than I ever could recognize. 

Even though my reign of being Vermilion Cattlemen’s Queen had ended, I knew I was not finished advocating for the industry that has changed my life and many others. Of course, FFA was a big part of my life through all of this, but I now recognized this as a chance to bring recognition to the cattle industry and those alike that go unnoticed. As a result, I made it a point to compete in the public speaking LDEs, not to win, but to learn more about and acknowledge these industries and what they have done for people like me. I never thought that crown and that blue jacket would have taken me so far. Check out how this little country cow-loving bumpkin has achieved the impossible feat of talking in front of thousands of members and making a difference, and now you are reading her blog! So the next time you see that momma cow “taking a nap” in your buddy’s pasture, make sure to give them a call, that could be the start to their future. 

"It's a Family Tradition" by State Parliamentarian, Matthew Phillips

December Blog

     “Why?”—A child’s favorite question. I would imagine most children grow up asking their family why they decided to be a doctor, lawyer, teacher, or any other typical profession. The younger generation is always curious as to why their family decided to take a certain path and whether they’ll choose to take the same path. Some kids may grow up to become the same thing as their parents but most don’t. You see, most families decided to ‘change their direction’ due to numerous factors. Growing up, I have been extremely blessed to have a family who did not abandon the original American occupation. My family owns and operates a 2,500-acre generational sugarcane farm in Franklin, LA. Because of this, I was able to witness firsthand the highs and lows of agriculture from an early age.

Imagine an eight-year-old boy whose interest did not veer far from the farm. Many of my childhood toys always related back to the farm whether it was tractors, combines, or semi-trucks. On weekends and holidays, I did not want to go to the mountains, beach, or even Disney World but rather the sugarcane farm. I would constantly bug my grandfather and uncles all hours of the day to let me ride the tractors on the farm. Early on, I can recall waking up at 5:30 in the morning to be the co-pilot to my Uncle Donnie while he operated the combine during the harvest season. For those of you who know me, you’ll know that I always have a ton of questions…just imagine me as a child. While I am sure I had many questions that frigid December morning, it was never a question that I wanted to help in ‘carrying on this family tradition’. 

These encounters and interactions with my uncles continued on weekends and holidays until I was in the eighth grade when I was able to work my first true day. After working that day, it became surprisingly evident that the joys of riding on the tractor and other equipment did not quite define farming. In that moment, I had to ‘stop and think it over’. I realized that there are hardships and struggles that famers face every day in order to create a product that is satisfactory to consumers across the globe. Farmers know to always expect the unexpected and be prepared for when those unexpected incidents arise. Working long hours on my family’s sugarcane farm has taught me resiliency and given me an appreciation for the people whose toil affects the lives of so many as they are simply ‘living out the song they wrote’. Although I too have ‘changed my direction’ to educate the next generation of agriculturists by becoming an agricultural educator, I will be forever grateful for the knowledge and values gained from Bayou Sale Cane and intend to one day ‘carry on an old family tradition’.

"How Are You A Part of Agriculture?" by State Vice-President, Amber Bridges

November Blog

When wearing the blue jacket, it’s pretty common for people to ask you how you are connected to agriculture. For some people, the answer to that question could be really easy to answer, as they come from a traditional agricultural background whether their field of experience lies within animal production, crop production, or even from owning their own little piece of land where they grow or produce goods for their family. But for me, it’s the total opposite. When it comes to the traditional agricultural life, the closest I ever came to that was having dogs and cats as pets. The closest thing to field crop production that I came to was when my third grade teacher grew beans with us as a class project. That was my agricultural background until my freshman year of high school. 

In the spring semester of my eight grade year, the freshmen counselor came to speak to all of the students that would be attending West Ouachita High School the following year. Knowing that our town really isn't that big into agriculture and it doesn't involve many students within that lifestyle, she sold the agriscience class to many students by saying the if you take this class for two years, you won't have to take a senior science. Hearing those words, I instantly knew that I would be taking an agriscience class the first two years while I was at West Ouachita. Fast forward some time and I was walking into agriscience I with the advisor, Ms. Martin. She was the individual  that kickstarted my career and interest in not just FFA, but agriculture. Going to the 212/360 conference allowed me to see that not only are the people in this organization from all different kinds of agricultural backgrounds, but many also had backgrounds just like mine. It showed me that no matter what or where you came from, you could still be a part of agriculture. Competing in the many difference CDEs let me know that agriculture isn't just about the animals, the farmer and their crops. It's also about the floral designers creating your prom corsage and the eighteen-wheeler drivers hauling logs from the cutting site in the forest to the mills that all play a major role in Louisiana agriculture. Without those truck drivers, our state's number one commodity would not be forestry.

Being a part of FFA, I was given the opportunity to experience the typical, most well-known side of agriculture. From my sophomore to my senior year of high school, I had the chance to show swine and get to experience the joys and discomforts of raising livestock. I was not aware of the hard work that some people put into their projects. Because of my experiences within the FFA, I have grown to learn more about the traditional agricultural lifestyle and have a newfound appreciation for those individuals who do so. I may not have come from an agricultural background or been exposed to that way of life during my younger years, but my connection to agriculture is there. Being a part of the FFA has allowed for me to ignite a passion that I never knew I had before. When I am now asked how I am a part of agriculture, I proudly day that I live and enjoy all the different opportunities and chances that this organization and agriculture gives you.

The Importance of the Original Roots of Agriculture" by State President, Jadyn' Durr

October Blog

Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. This is a phrase most Americans know. He did many things such as making four trips across the Atlantic, exploring the coast of what is now North and South America. But one of the big things he did was push Native Americans out of their land, seemingly erasing their towns, families, and their progress in agriculture. Today, we still see the Native American population as a minority in agriculture and the FFA. Recently, there has been an extremely big push towards diversity and inclusion within the FFA, but resources to help chapters achieve this goal are sparse. Personally, I was one of those people who continually ignored all that Native Americans offered to agriculture as I felt I had no place to speak for them. I was never involved in tribes that I have relations with, and I never took the step to understand what true native agriculture was. However as I continued to be involved in the FFA on a state and national level and after sitting through continuous workshops on diversity and inclusion, the same question popped into my head: how can we talk about inclusion when the topic of the original ‘American Farmer’ is still rarely mentioned? 

I knew then that I wanted to find a way to talk about Native American agriculture, but unlike many others I did not want to advocate for something that I had no actual knowledge on. I was able to get in touch with Mackenzie Martinez, a Louisiana Choctaw Native.  Mackenzie, like most great FFA members, was incredibly involved. She grew up in a rural community where she raised chickens, turkeys, rabbits, and show pigs. She had a vegetable garden, and most everything she knew about agriculture was passed down from generation to generation. Yet unlike most of us, she grew up seeing and hearing prevalent problems facing Native American farmers. Mackenzie states, “Tribal farmers and ranchers face so many different obstacles because of their status as members of sovereign tribal nations. There are barriers to things like access to credit and lenders that won’t facilitate tribal members.”  The United States Government Accountability Office has created a report on the credit barriers Native American farmers face and how it affects them. Information provided by the Native Farm Bill Coalition gives us a glimpse of these issues, as well. The Coalition states, “Indian Country has been largely pushed to the margins of Farm Bill discussions for decades – which means that Native Americans and tribes are missing out on major opportunities to protect and advance their interests.” The Native Farm Bill Coalition website goes into great detail of how it is important that our native farmers have the support needed to thrive in the community. 

Mackenzie also states, “There is also a need for more funding towards tribal colleges and universities that establish them as land grant institutions.” I, along with many others, did not know about land grant tribal universities, but in 1994, roughly 34 tribal colleges received land-grant institution status. This means they were allowed access to federal government resources that allowed them to become more self-sufficient. Yet, according to the American Council of Education’s review of tribal funding, many of these colleges have yet to see the funding they were promised. In some instances a tribal college or university (TCU) could be promised $8,000 per Indian student and only receive $6,000. Do not get me wrong, $6,000 is a lot of money, but for many of these TCUs that $2,000 difference means more than we will ever know. 

With that being said the most important thing we can do is find ways to help out the cause. As FFA members or anyone involved in agriculture we have the power to use our platform to speak for those who may not be able to. Mackenzie especially harped on that fact. She states, “I think that non-native students can promote the story of traditional Native American agriculture by being aware and open-minded. When discussing students supporting one another in order to move forward in this space, the Louisiana FFA Association and even the National FFA Organization, if it hasn’t already, needs to take a stance on issues pertaining to cultural respect.”      

The reason I joined the FFA and even ran for state office was to open up a discussion of diversity and inclusion that was not built on the basis of guilt but on the basis of understanding. I think the most important thing we can do as members is to make sure that everyone has their chance to be heard.

There was one thing that Mackenzie said that truly expressed the importance of representing Native Americans. “There are certain challenges to growing up on a reservation that many native youth face, and recognition in the FFA is an opportunity for them to develop into well-rounded individuals and implement that leadership into improving their communities.” When we look at the statistics, there are currently 165 Louisiana FFA members who self-reported Native American ethnicity,  meaning about 1.5% of our state’s membership is Native American. It’s not the biggest number, but it is a step in the right direction. We must also remember that numbers do not mean anything without something to show for it. We are awarded so many opportunities within the FFA, so why not work to ensure that everyone in the organization can share in those opportunities? Native Americans have been farming on this land longer than anyone knows, and they have so much to teach us about sustainable agriculture if we would just take the time to listen. It is time for us to take the initiative to understand their methods and traditions. My missions for all of you is to get in touch with a local tribe and truly pick their brains about what agriculture means to them. Find ways to get involved with their youth to understand the original roots of agriculture, and above all else, do what we were taught to do; represent our jacket with pride. 

May the odds be ever in your favor,

Jadyn’ Durr

"Real Food to You" By Dekota McGee, State Secretary

September Blog

“What am I eating?” “Where does my food come from?” “Is my food safe?” These are questions that more and more consumers are demanding be answered.  Parents want to provide healthier meals to their families, and some people want to treat their body’s better. As society becomes more aware of what they put into their bodies and what is going on around them, restaurant owners are taking the initiative in making their businesses’ more appealing to the public. 

Restaurant owners are making the choice to use local grown produce for their dishes, many hopping on the farm to table bandwagon. Farm to table restaurants are becoming a thriving sensation in larger cities across the state of Louisiana and the nation. If you’re not familiar with the farm to table movement, it is a social movement that promotes serving local food at restaurants and school cafeterias, preferably through direct acquisition from the producer. These establishments use their simple recipes to attract customers who want to experience a fresher and healthier meal, while also enjoying a groovy environment. Customers say that the food tastes fresher and overall much better than frozen and processed foods. This happens due to the effective transportation of goods being transported immediately from the fields of local farms to the kitchens of small restaurants.

Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down and talk with Mr. Nathan Stubbs, the owner of a farm to table restaurant, The Saint Street Inn, located in Lafayette, LA. Stubbs began his business just under ten years ago and says that he absolutely loves his job. He says, “I have two favorite parts. The first being my staff and suppliers. The second being the customers and the atmosphere the community provides.” He mentioned that he enjoys seeing the vibes that his customers have as they sit with their friends. With the Saint Street Inn being only four minutes away from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, college students and professors often frequent the restaurant. “The support of the community truly fuels my passion to make my business thrive,” says Stubbs.

“When the Saint Street Inn began, it was built on the idea of cooking more meticulously and being creative with our ingredient choices,” said Mr. Stubbs. The restaurant provides consumers with a wide variety of food choices that are fresh and grown close to home. One thing that amazes and sticks with me was how the Saint Street Inn mainly used farm products grown or raised in Louisiana. The restaurant does not use large food distributors, but instead partners with local farmers to provide a fresher dish. The Saint Street Inn has over twenty farms that supply produce and products used to create their spectacular dishes. Stubbs says, “[Suppliers] are the backbone of our business. We couldn’t make it without them. Pastured pork comes from Husser, LA, eggs come from Alexandria, LA, pastured chicken comes from Singer, LA.” For me, there is nothing more refreshing than enjoying a meal with ingredients produced by Louisiana farmers.  

Don’t get me wrong, I love chicken nuggets and fries just as much as the next person, but I also enjoy supporting a restaurant that supports our local communities. Walking into a restaurant like the Saint Street Inn gives me hope that our small-time farmers are still appreciated. Choosing to eat at a farm to table restaurant will change a person’s view of creativity. I never thought of food as an art until I sat down with Mr. Nathan Stubbs. Stubbs truly loves what he does, how he does it, and the impact his business has had on himself and others. He started his business with a friend to try something new. This one choice turned into a profession that he is passionate about. Agriculture is affected by large corporate industries, but small businesses, just like the Saint Street Inn, matter too.

"Living to Learn" by State Vice President, Salem Johnson

August Blog

When many people think of agriculture, the image of a 500-acre row crop farm may pop into their head. For others, it’s an open pasture with 200 head of cattle roaming around. Either way, these agricultural industries are very important, but what about the industries only a few think about? What about the fisherman working in the Gulf of Mexico, or the foresters estimating how many board feet you can get within a certain area, or even the farmers that grow flowers for weddings instead of lettuce for salads? We as FFA members continuously represent our organization in and out of the blue jacket, but it is also our duty to be able to effectively advocate for each agricultural industry and its importance to our society. Here are three of my personal favorite unusual and unfamiliar agricultural industries.
Pearl Farming: The pearls generated by the pearl farming industry make up nearly 99% of all total pearls sold around the world. Since the beginning of pearl farming in the early 20th century, to now, it has become a billion-dollar industry. Starting at the beginning of the pearl farming process, many pearl farmers start by breeding their oysters. Once the oysters are mature, in about 2-5 years they will make a beloved pearl that will eventually be made into jewelry. How cool is that?! Each oyster can produce about 2-3 pearls in their lifetime before they are released back into the wild or are sold to various restaurants. Many people are not familiar with the pearl farming industry, but just imagine life without the beautiful, gleaming pearls that many of us enjoy today. 
Deer Urine Collection Farms: This second agricultural industry does not directly supply food to its customers, but instead better enables a customer to supply their own. If you are not familiar with hunting, a human's scent can repel a deer from a certain area; the deer urine collected from these farms can be used to mask this smell, resulting in a lower chance of repelling a deer and a higher chance of a kill. The deer urine industry is small and not very well known, but has a great impact on the food supply in the United States. About 40 million Americans' food security depends on the consumption of wild game each year. With the help of these deer urine farms, hunters can be better equipped to feed their families!
Lavender Farming: The popularity of lavender farming has grown tremendously over the past couple of year and is known to be very profitable. It is said that a quarter-acre of lavender can produce about 3,000 bunches, which is worth about $18,000! From floral arrangements and essential oils, to air fresheners and medicine, lavender has a great array of things it can be used for. So, next time you smell the calming sent of lavender, remember that a farmer produced it too!
Many people only consider the agricultural industries that produce us food, while a handful think of commodities such as jewelry, oils, wood, and countless others. However, it is our job as the future generation of agriculturists to inform the public about these different commodities and the effect they have on our lives. I encourage you to learn about a new agricultural industry you’re not familiar with.  Don’t be afraid to advocate for an agricultural commodity that has not had a direct impact on you. We as FFA members have the opportunity and obligation to be a platform for every agricultural industry and its influence on our world! So, stay informed, use your voice, and change the world!