2019 Inductees into Agriculture Hall of Distinction to be Honored
Inductees include Linda Zaunbrecher, Pioneer for Women in Industry
BATON ROUGE – The sixth annual Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction honors this year’s inductees on Thursday, March 7. Ceremonies begin at 7 p.m. at L’Auberge Casino Hotel in Baton Rouge.
The Hall of Distinction recognizes those who have significantly contributed to the state’s agriculture community in farming, ranching, forestry, aquaculture, education and agribusiness. This year’s four inductees all made crucial contributions to Louisiana’s agriculture community: Grady Coburn, Jack Hamilton, George LaCour and Linda Zaunbrecher.
A native of Gueydan, Zaunbrecher is only the second woman to enter the Hall of Distinction. Her career is distinguished by her pioneering work in increasing leadership opportunities for women in agriculture. In 1984, she was the first woman elected to the Louisiana Farm Bureau State Board of Directors’ executive committee. She also helped create the Louisiana Farm Bureau Foundation, a scholarship program named in her honor.
A long-time farmer in Lake Providence, Hamilton is a Korean War veteran who passed away in 2001. He’s being honored posthumously for crucial innovations in cotton production and ginning. He was a driving force in the formation of the Louisiana Agricultural Corporation Self-Insurance Fund, which offers workers’ compensation coverage to employers across the state.
Coburn, of Cheneyville, is one of the state’s earliest crop consultants and contract researchers. Over the past 40 years, he’s had an integral role in increasing producer profitability. Coburn is a founding member of the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants and the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association, where he also served as president. He has developed a national reputation, and his advice is sought frequently when agriculture-related issues arise in Washington, D.C.
A native of Morganza, George LaCour is respected worldwide for his expertise with sustainability and conservation in the cotton industry. In his work for the Cotton Research and Promotion Program, LaCour has traveled as far as China and Vietnam to share his knowledge with cotton production, and he has been a presenter multiple times for international meetings in Brazil. He is a former president of the Southern Cotton Ginners and Louisiana Cotton Producers Association, as well as immediate past chairman of The Cotton Board.
The annual Hall of Distinction induction ceremony is presented by Louisiana Radio Network in cooperation with the LSU AgCenter, the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. Monsanto serves as title sponsor and First South Farm Credit is the presenting sponsor.
About Louisiana Radio Network
Founded in 1974, Louisiana Radio Network provides 63 radio stations throughout Louisiana and parts of Mississippi with news, sports and agri-news. Louisiana Radio Network also publishes Tiger Rag, known as the “Bible of LSU Sports” since 1978, the new “Tiger Rag Extra” magazine, and presents the Louisiana Agriculture Hall of Distinction award. Like Louisiana Radio Network on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for breaking news @laradionetwork.