Chile and Argentina: The Epilogue
By Mike Danna
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Public Relations Director
One of the best things about traveling abroad is returning home to the greatest country on earth.
Only Americans can say that. There are 312 million of us, which leaves about 6.6 billion others who can only dream about it. Be it ever so humble, right?
I trust all of you made it home safely and got a chance to catch up on some well- deserved rest. Nothing like sleeping in one’s own bed to really give the body a chance to recover.
This was a whirlwind tour no doubt, and no doubt it will take a few days for us to really begin to analyze what we saw and heard. The decompression time on these trips takes about a week. The memories, however, will last a lifetime.
On behalf of Jim Monroe and the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, I want to thank you all again for allowing us to travel with you, to push cameras in your faces and generally make a news media nuisance of ourselves. But as ag leaders we know you’ll all get used to it. AgLeadership is about telling your story and your tenure in that capacity is just beginning.
I must admit it was a little sad saying good-bye to all of you at the New Orleans airport. As much as we all wanted to get home, I know you all probably felt the same way. The camaraderie we felt on this trip will stay with us for a while.
As you know, it takes a lot to pull off a trip like this. Just ask Jenne Farr.
For as long as she’s been a part of the AgLeadership program Jenne has shined as a constant resource. She takes care of her business and the business of the program. We’re lucky to have someone like Jenne looking out for us on trips like this. The smallest details can mean the difference between a trip coming off without a hitch and an oversight that could make things difficult for everyone. She knows this and takes pride in her attention to detail. You don’t see that too much these days. Thanks Jenne for taking care of us. When I say you’re the mother of AgLeadership I mean that with the utmost respect and admiration. Leave it to another Port Allen girl to take care of the people in her life.
A big language-barrier-bridging thanks to Dr. Guillermo Scaglia for his help and guidance during our two weeks in South America. Knowing Doc was around helped us all breathe a sigh of relief every now and them. Whether it was to translate a menu item or help in conveying a question, Guillermo took it all in stride. He’s also a member of Class XIII, so I’ll get to travel with him again in 2014. Before then I hope to get to know him better. I hear his star is rising at the AgCenter and I look forward to working with him over the next two years. Gracias, Doc.
Thanks to my boss Jim Monroe. There’s not enough space here to convey my respect for the man. He’s the guy I answer to, but he’ll always be my friend first and foremost. He’s a hell of talent behind the camera, any camera, and he’s made these international trips and my career more enjoyable than words can convey. Thanks boss.
There’s an old Italian proverb that says, “Old wine and friends improve with age.” It’s not often I find a fellow Italian who I can converse with on everything from family history to fava beans. But what really made Dr. John Russin’s presence on this trip special was both his insight and understanding of ag’s big picture.
Dr. Russin has been around the world and is a wealth of information. The man’s just damned smart. I don’t know any other way to describe it.
No matter the topic he can speak to it. He’s a strong addition to the work and challenges faced by Dr. Bill Richardson and Dr. Paul Coreil at the AgCenter. Like Chancellor Richardson and Dr. Coreil, John cares about the programs and the people. God knows the AgCenter going to need all three of them going to bat as the 2012 Legislative Session looms large.
And after spending two weeks as his seatmate on the bus, I sometimes forgot about his Ph.D. Dr. Russin’s like an old beer-drinking buddy who’s always willing to offer advice, dispense a kind word, drop a funny line or pick up the next round. There’s another Italian proverb that says, “A man should learn to sail in all winds.” I, for one, am glad Dr. Russin’s at the helm. “Grazie amico mio.”
When I first met Dr. Bobby Soileau he was behind a video camera on a shoot at a field day. It was obvious the guy knew what he was doing. Little has changed as his career path transitioned from videographer to producer to director of the AgLeadership Development Program.
I can’t image what it was like for Bobby to work on his master’s and Ph.D., all the while working and raising his family. The stresses must have been, at times, nearly unbearable. But I’m sure his parents were there offering support. For him to follow in the footsteps of his father…well, there’s no greater accomplishment than knowing you made your parents proud.
When Bobby was interviewing for the job he asked me to write a recommendation letter on his behalf. I never really told him this, but I was humbled and honored to do so. I knew he was the right person for the job and as such, I wanted to make my letter one of the best I’d ever written. Undoubtedly my letter was of small benefit and no one was more pleased than me when he got the job.
Like Jim Monroe, Bobby and I have been friends for a long time. Our schedules don’t always allow us to see each other as much as I’d like. We’ll occasionally grab a cup of coffee on a Saturday, but I know he’s just a phone call away and he’s been one of my inspirations over the years.
I can’t say enough about Bobby’s contribution to the success of the AgLeadership program. I hope you’ll agree Bobby truly cares about us and the leadership roles we’ve undertaken on behalf of Louisiana agriculture. On these international tours he’s the guy responsible for the whole ball of wax, as they say. That’s an awesome responsibility and once again he stepped up, engaged each of us, made sure we were doing OK during the long bus rides and generally let us know he had our backs. That’s just how he rolls. That’s class baby, pure and simple.
I wish the very best for each of you in your farming endeavors, your careers and your lives. It was a pleasure traveling with each of you, getting to know more about you and your families and listening to your visions for the future of Louisiana agriculture. As the Italians say, “Chi trova un amico trova un tesoro.” (He who finds a friend finds a treasure.”)
Until next time…