84th International Rice Festival Recognizes Phillip Lamartiniere as the 2021 Farmer of the Year
The 84th International Rice Festival will recognize Phillip Lamartiniere as the 2021 Farmer of the Year. Phillip Lamartiniere was born, raised and currently resides in the small community of Fifth Ward, located seven miles west of Marksville. His parents were Louis J. Lamartiniere and Loretta Bordelon Lamartiniere. Phillip is the third of five children consisting of three sisters and one brother. He is a graduate of Fifth Ward High School and attended LSU-Alexandria for two years in Agri Business. He is married to Collier Lamartiniere from Natchitoches Parish. They have three children, Eric (45), Seth (38) and Brandon (34), whom all have successful careers outside of agriculture. Phillip and his wife, Janis, are faithful and active members of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Fifth Ward.
Phillip’s grandfather and father both farmed and raised cattle. His father was FSA County Executive Director for Avoyelles Parish for 36 years. It was his father’s vision to start planting rice with him in 1986, even though neither had previously farmed rice. This was the beginning of L & P Rice Farming. This venture began during the farm crisis of the 1980s. Land was available and cheap to rent and used equipment easy to acquire. Not being experienced in rice cultivation made the early years difficult. With the advice and council of area rice farmers, the outstanding information from the rice research station, hard work and sacrifice things began to improve. Another major factor to help improve the situation was the beginning of precision leveling on the farm. This started in 1989 with the help of the Freys from Morganza. In 1996, L & P purchased their own leveling equipment and continued this practice. As a result, the farm now consists of 1450 precision leveled acres. In 2005, they set up a loop bin system with 30,000 barrels capacity. This gave them the ability to successfully dry their rice with air only, no heat, lowering costs and marketing a high-quality crop.
In 2001, L & P purchased the farm they had been renting consisting of 2300 total acres. In 2005, Phillip and Janis purchased his father’s interest in the farm. L & P Rice Farming produces rice on 700 acres and crawfish on 350 acres. This is down from years past when they would historically plant 800 to 900 acres of rice. Lower prices in past years, encouraged them to plant only half their acreage each year allowing the other half to rest. This rotation has not only made life easier but also their operation more sustainable in that it has measurably improved soil fertility and health.
Phillip currently dedicates his time to various organizations:
President of Cenla Rice Growers Association, President of Avoyelles Farm Bureau, Louisiana Rice Growers Association, Louisiana Rice Council, Farm Bureau Rice Advisory Board, Farm Bureau Crawfish Advisory Board, Spring Bayou Lake Commission, and Louisiana Watershed Initiative Steering Committee
Past organization involvement and achievements are:
Farm Bureau State Board Member, Rice Research Board, 1st South ACA Advisory Board, Louisiana Master Farmer, Lifetime Alumni of LSU Ag Leadership Program
Farming for 35 years has provided Phillip and his family with a comfortable living. He realizes how fortunate he is to be able to have a career he loves. He finds the sights and smells of a rice crop from start to finish to be truly amazing. He realizes that none of this would be possible, first without his Creator, and a strong wife as his partner.