Who is Class XII? (Part III)
By Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations
Let’s begin with women in agriculture.
Over the last 24 years more than three dozen women have been a part of the LSU AgLeadership Development Program. Over the years these women have been an active, effective voice for the state’s farmers and ranchers. Some are full time production farmers, others work in ag support industries, but all have made a commitment to furthering the success of Louisiana agriculture.
Karen Leonards, of Lettsworth, is such woman. While she admits she can’t fly an airplane, that hasn’t stopped her flying service, Golden Wings Air, Inc., from becoming one of the most respected aerial applicator operations in Central Louisiana. She’s also involved in two family farming operations growing sugarcane, corn, soybeans, cotton and wheat on 700 acres. That’s a full plate no matter how you slice it.
Karen’s also a keen cattlewoman. Monday during our tour of Alejandro Calderon’s cattle operation it was evident she knows a thing or two about working cows. Keep an eye on Karen. You’ll be seeing more of her on farming’s frontlines.
Barrett McKnight is a sales manager for Jimmy Sanders. But there was a time when he farmed fulltime, so he knows both sides of the farmers he serves. He’s a pretty easy-going guy, but it’s clear he understands ag sales. And that service today is a far cry from what it used to be. The corporate world has finally zeroed in on the importance (and profitability) of the ag support industry and Barrett will one day find himself in a leadership role in that capacity. He’s got some good ideas and soon someone’s going to realize it.
I met Neil’s Melancon’s voice before I actually met Neil. Some 15 years ago I received a phone call from a kid who said he was looking for an internship at the Farm Bureau. He said he was working on his master’s in mass communication and heard we had a TV program and a radio network. Don’t ask me what it was, but something told me to give the kid a chance.
Today Neil’s voice has made him a constant companion for many a farmer and his radio in pickup trucks across Louisiana. Each day Neil’s broadcasts are heard across the state on the Louisiana Farm Bureau Radio Network and listeners tune in each day (more than 200,000 of them) to get the latest farm prices and agricultural analysis. His segment “The Bottom Line” on TWILA has been a solid addition to our program over the last three years, bringing valuable information to both farmers and consumers. He’s also one of the most intelligent guys I know. His conversational repertoire runs the gamut from Eastern cultures to the subtle nuances of global ag supply and demand.
Matthew Raley has a broad knowledge and understanding of agriculture. As retail sales and product manager for Raley Brothers LLC in Crowville, in Franklin Parish, Matt takes a worldview of lots of things, especially agriculture.
In visiting with Matt you find you instantly like him. He has a broad range of interests, something that allows him to converse with just about anyone on just about any topic. We talked about the pre- and post-war Eisenhower years yesterday.
But you can also tell he also carries a lot of the weight of his family’s operation on his shoulders. His is a tough business and Matt and his family are constantly striving to adapt their business model to meet the ever-changing needs of agriculture. Farming today is more complex than ever, especially for those like Matt who have a real stake in the success of not only his family’s business, but all of Louisiana agriculture.
Dean Reed, of Batchelor, in Pointe Coupee Parish, knows his heifers. During Monday’s visit to Alejandro Calderon’s ranch he pined to have just a few of those Angus cattle back at his place. He raises 100 head of beef cattle and also has a hay operation. And if that weren’t enough he’s a fulltime sales rep for Helena Chemical.
Through is work with Helena, Dean interacts with farmers every day. Like many of those who work in the ag support industry, the call of farming is strong. A guy like Dean seems to have the best of both worlds.
I mentioned Troy Romero in an earlier post, but as general manager of Turf Grass Farms in Jeff Davis Parish, the man is in constant motion. He worked his cell phone more than a few times during our trip, keeping his operation running from more than 4,000 miles away.
But what sets Troy apart is his genuine desire to improve the image of Louisiana agriculture. Troy knows the key will be education and image building. His participation in this class will serve to bolster his status among Louisiana’s farm leadership.
I mentioned Luke Sayes and how his father was an alumni of the program. The more I’m around Luke the more I like and respect him. He’s got a pretty dry sense of humor, but what impresses me most is that nothing seems to rattle him. Agriculture is big, unpredictable and expensive. But you’d never know it by listening to him talk about his operation. Luke is a strong farmer who, despite his easy-going nature, has a powerful sense of independence rarely seen in someone so young. Watch for his star to begin rising soon.
At 51 Jess Vanderlick calls himself the old man of the class. I prefer elder statesman. For the last 30 years Jess and his family have been pillars of the farming community in Central Louisiana. He’s seen it all, done it all and grown it all.
With more than 2,000 acres in production Jess juggles the responsibilities of family, community and industry involvement. No matter what farming’s thrown at him over the last three decades it’s clear Jess can take a punch. As a part of Class XII he’s quiet, but you can tell he’s taking it all in. When he hears some of the younger class members talking about some new or different production practice, he sometimes just smiles. You never know if that means “good luck, kid,” or “good plan, kid.” Either way, Jess knows his classmates are dedicated to their profession and, like him, will do whatever it takes to be successful.
I can’t image what a day in the life of Matthew Zaunbrecher’s is like. It’s a good thing Matt stands better than 6-2, because with more than 7,000 acres in production, the man probably never stops.
Undoubtedly what drives Matthew get up every morning is his passion for his profession. There’s no aspect of production agriculture he can’t speak to, at least in some capacity. If it grows in Louisiana, Matthew can tell you how best to grow it. From cane to milo to corn to beans to cotton and wheat, his knowledge of agriculture is vast and varied.
But what really makes Matthew a key player in the Louisiana ag community is the fact he’s grounded in family. He and his wife Mary are a joy to be around. They still smile at each other like newlyweds and it’s clear they’re committed to each other and their farming operation. (I’d make some analogy about yin and yang here, but I think you get the idea.)
In all, the members of Class XII will be another successful addition to the leadership ranks of Louisiana agriculture and that’s never been a higher priority than right now.
Until next time…