Vermillion Parish Farm Bureau Recognized with President’s Award at 104th Annual Louisiana Farm Bureau Convention

By Anna Holmes

Louisiana Farm Bureau News

The Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation culminated the opening night of its 104th Annual Convention with Vermillion Parish Farm Bureau capturing the President’s Award, the organization’s highest parish honor, for the seventh year straight.

The President’s Award recognizes the parish Farm Bureau excelling in membership, advocacy and communications over the past year. Louisiana Farm Bureau President Richard Fontenot presented the award to Vermillion Parish Farm Bureau President Bryan Simon Thursday night.

Also recognized Thursday night was Laura Hebert of Vermillion Parish, who received the Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award. Hebert is a fourth-generation crawfish, rice and sugarcane farmer.

The Achievement Award recognizes farmers and ranchers age 35 and under who have thriving operations and a strong involvement in Farm Bureau. Prizes for the Achievement Award include $35,000 cash from Southern Farm Bureau Casualty Insurance Company, an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2027 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as other cash prizes.

The Discussion Meet is an opportunity for Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers to demonstrate their ability to discuss and solve issues affecting agriculture in a group setting, much like a committee or board meeting. The topic for the final round of this year’s Discussion Meet focused on how Farm Bureau can leverage its grassroots network to ease supply chain challenges in the meat industry.

The judges named Tyler Barlow of Rapides Parish the winner of the 2026 Discussion Meet. Barlow received a John Deere Gator utility vehicle, courtesy of the Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company, an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2027 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as other cash prizes.

Emily Steagall of Lafourche Parish is the winner of the 2026 Louisiana Farm Bureau Excellence in Agriculture Award. The award recognizes Young Farmers and Ranchers who do not earn the majority of their income from an owned agricultural operation but are actively contributing to and growing through their involvement in Farm Bureau and the agriculture industry.

For winning, Steagall received $7,500 toward the purchase of a 4-wheel ATV, courtesy of Louisiana Land Bank, an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2027 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, as well as other cash prizes.

Macy Rushing of Feliciana Farm Bureau is the 2026 Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Outstanding Young Farm Woman. Rushing is a first-generation cattle farmer in East Feliciana Parish.

For winning, Rushing received a $2,000 cash prize from Louisiana Farm Bureau Insurance Company, an all-expenses-paid trip to the 2027 American Farm Bureau Fusion Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, as well as other cash prizes.

The Louisiana Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom committee recognized Pam Brierre as the 2026 Teacher of the Year. Brierre teaches pre-K – 4th grade science at St. Martin’s Episcopal School in Metairie, Louisiana. The AITC committee presents the honor each year to a teacher who does an exemplary job incorporating agriculture into classroom instruction.

For receiving the honor, Brierre earned an all-expenses-paid trip to the National Ag in the Classroom Conference in Providence, Rhode Island, an iPad and $500 cash from the Louisiana Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom.

The 104th Annual Louisiana Farm Bureau Convention continues through Sunday, June 21 at the New Orleans Marriott.

For more information, visit https://lfbfconvention.org/