"Outtakes and Observations" documents the international travels of the LSU Ag Leadership Program, and a tribute to its original writer, Michael Danna. Mike loved traveling the world with each class and blogged from all corners of the globe starting with his trip to South America as a member of Class VIII in 2004. Mike lost his third battle with cancer on March 6, 2015, but his work continues here. Members of each class will offer their thoughts and insights during their travels, so check back often as we honor Mike’s memory and look forward to the future leadership of Louisiana agriculture.
By Adam Caughern
LSU Ag Leadership Class XVI
I decided to venture out on my own this morning. I didn’t want to leave Tokyo without being able to say I tried the Japanese Burger King. I made my way into the fast food chain, and ordered my meal.
Read MoreBy Avery Davidson
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
I’m sure you’ve noticed that I’ve been starting each blog with a quote. Until this one, I’ve only used quotes from the band Rush and that’s because I’m diving deep into the works of the late Neal Peart, who was the chief lyricist for the band. Toby Daspit, Ph.D. is the reason why I’m beginning each of these posts with a quote.
Read MoreBy Neil Melancon
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
I’m writing this on our last day in Japan, since we’re sitting on the tarmac for the next hour due to a rain delay. It’s a productive use of my time to reflect on the trip, but I think between the other bloggers and pictures you can see on SmugMug, you’ve probably gotten a good idea what the class is up to.
Instead, I thought I’d write about my interest and connection to Japan, which began even before I was born. Somewhat ironically, that connection and my ties to agriculture come from the same place: my paternal grandfather.
Read MoreBy Avery Davidson,
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
I have to admit, this is one of the blog posts I’ve been eagerly awaiting the chance to write. Since I started preparing for this trip, Rush’s A Passage to Bangkok has been a steady, relentless earworm in my head. I’m sure I listened to it at least 50 times in the week leading to our departure for Japan.
First, let me speak about Japan. The people here are kind, warm, caring and extremely friendly. They are proud of their history, embrace the present and are poised for the future. Japan is, after all, the world’s 3rd largest economy.
Read MoreBy Avery Davidson
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
A text message. Words sent by fingers, thumbs, electrons, radio waves, liquid crystal screens and light. One text message and we learned there was a near tragedy back home. And the means of avoiding that tragedy has ties back here to Japan.
It started when LSU Ag Leadership Class XVI member Trey Wiggers scurried down the blue textured aisle of the 44 passenger bus we boarded only minutes before. The “it” is our learning of the near tragedy.
Read MoreBy Karl Wiggers
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
“It just dawned on me that we’re walking through the streets of Tokyo right now, and I’m just a redneck from South Alabama.”
That’s a simple statement of incredible realization. My roommate, Daniel Stephenson, pointed out the obvious last night as we were walking around trying to find a place for dinner. It was a small group of us -- Daniel and myself joined by Ashley Dupree, Trey Wiggers, and Randy Fair, an alumni of Class XIII.
Read MoreBy Avery Davidson
Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation
Obi Wan Kenobi told Luke Skywalker that Darth Vader betrayed and murdered Anakin Skywalker. Once Luke learned that Darth Vader was his father, he became upset with Obi Wan. The elder Jedi explained that once Anakin became Vader, the previous person ceased to exist and that his first explanation was accurate, “from a certain point of view.”
Read MoreBy Neil Melancon
La. Farm Bureau Federation
I’m excited not only to be back in Japan, but blogging again for the LSU Ag Leadership’s International Trip.
This is my third time in Japan, having visited on my own in 2003, 2017 and now. I have a vested interest in the country, having done Japanese martial arts my entire adult life. As such, I travelled out ahead of the group on some personal time and have been here 10 days. Bobby Soileau asked me earlier in the year to speak to the class to help them get ready for the trip.
Read MoreBy Avery Davidson
La. Farm Bureau Federation
Those of you who know me well know that every word I see or hear makes me think of a song lyric. It’s sometimes a blessing, but it’s normally a curse… for everyone around me. I also tend to not keep what’s in my head in there for very long. So, I am compelled to share the sudden earworms that slither forth from the deep recesses of my warped and twisted psyche.
Read MoreAnother adventure is about to begin for our Ag Leadership program when we leave for Japan and Thailand this weekend. Our program hasn’t been to Asia since Class X traveled to China twelve years ago.
This trip will be very different from a production and cultural perspective. Japan and Thailand are important for many reasons, and trade is at the top of the list. Japan is one of our biggest trade partners and Thailand is another trade partner that is a big producer of sugar, rice and seafood.
Read MoreBy Neil Melancon, Louisiana Farm Bureau Information & Public Relations Assistant Director
One of the main purposes of travel is for new experiences. As I’m coming to see, another side of that equally important is to reinforce old ones.
Read MoreBy Avery Davidson, LSU AgLeadership XV member
There’s a look people get when they’re at the end of a journey. Eyes stay focused on something in the distance. Smiles only come when those tired, weary gazes meet those of a fellow traveler. There’s a moment there; a special connection. The exhausted relief of knowing the trip is over and the shriek of rubber meeting concrete will signal a homecoming. Our homecoming.
Read MoreBy Bobby Soileau, Ph.D., LSU AgLeadership Class XV Coordinator
The final day of our international trips are challenging. Everyone is tired and ready to go home, yet we have more visits scheduled.
So, we forged ahead as we traveled north of Lisbon on Friday to the fishing community of Peniche. There we toured the Nigel fish processing facility located on the Atlantic Ocean. The company processes frozen fish products for a number of European countries.
Read MoreBy Jason Burke, LSU AgLeadership Class XV member
The Mediterranean region of Europe is well known for its fine cuisine, wineries, medieval castles, and pleasant climate. However, the southwest region of the Iberian Peninsula of Europe (including Spain and Portugal) has a little-known secret hidden beneath its bark—tree bark that is.
Read MoreBy Aaron Lee, LSU AgLeadership Class XV member
I have been around crawfish production from the day I was born and all this time, I never realized that the same industry is thriving thousands of miles from our farm in southern Vermilion Parish! I have heard before now that there was crawfish in this area of the world, but until this trip, I had no idea that the crawfish in Spain are the Louisiana Red Swamp Crawfish; the same crawfish we have back home. They were introduced there in the mid 1970s when a group from Spain heard of them and brought some back from the Monroe area of Louisiana. It turns out that the area that they turned them loose in was an excellent environment for crawfish to thrive in and now, they have pretty much exploded in population.
Read MoreBy Karl McDonald, LSU AgLeadership Class XV
I grew up playing soccer as a main sport. I have always had an enormous passion for the sport. As a child in America, soccer is something you start with because the skills you learn are building blocks for almost any sport. It is simple. It does not require many resources; a ball and some field markers. Even at a young age I could tell there was more to this sport. Where we in America emphasize the NFL, NBA and MLB the rest of the world put soccer on that pedestal and call it Futbol. Yesterday evening our schedule allowed a few of my colleagues and I to attend a local match. Something more? Oh yeah!!!
Read MoreBy Neil Melançon, Louisiana Farm Bureau Information & Public Relations Assistant Director
Wednesday saw Class XV visit Iberian ham producer, Eiriz. The small operation processes between 1,000 and 2,000 Iberian hogs each year, sold exclusively in Europe. One of their key techniques is feeding the hogs solely acorns through two months of the year. The feed method alters the taste of the meat and class members got a chance to experience this through a taste test after the tour.
It is safe to say that the class is experiencing fatigue from the long trip. However, thanks to beautiful weather, a pastoral, mountainous backdrop, and some of the most hospitable hosts yet, it’s also safe to say the class feels reinvigorated.
Read MoreBy Kacie Luckett, LSU AgLeadership Class XV member
As we pulled up to Flor de Donana Biorganics plantation, my excitement couldn’t be contained. The feel from the “back of the bus” was less than eager to visit another vegetable production, storage, packing, and shipping facility, as it’s been the fourth so far. However, with each visit I notice something new and become a little more aware of the time, money, work, anxiety, and love that is grows with each fruit and vegetable.
Read MoreBy Richard K. Cooper, Ph.D., LSU AgLeadership Class XV member
This is how I would characterize our visit to Spain, and to this point in the trip, the unexpected has been muy bien! Since our arrival in Madrid, I have been thinking of a word the would describe this beautiful country and its people, but rather than rush the search for a word, decided to let it come to me. During our visit to Yeguada de la Cartuja stud farm to view the stunning Andalusia horses, the word that finally crystallized, for me, so much of what we have observed is pride. The Spaniards seem to take pride in all aspects of their lives from the intricate carvings with gold overlay or stone work in their cathedrals, to the cleanliness of their cities and immaculate manicuring of their parks and gardens, to their dress as they walk down the streets, and the wine that they drink. Nowhere is this pride more evident than in the stud farm that is responsible for the careful breeding and maintenance of the genetic lines of the Andalusian horses.
Read MoreBy Bobby Soileau, Ph.D., LSU AgLeadership Class XV Coordinator
We had our longest day with four visits around the Seville area. We began the morning with a visit at Productores del Campo. They are a 600 member co-op producing corn, cotton, wheat, sunflower, citrus and potatoes.
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