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| Cutting the Model Garden Ribbon, l-r: Dr. Winfield, Hon. Strain, Hon. Holden, Dr. Brown, Dr. Mellion-Patin, Rep. Honore, Dr. Eubanks, Mr. Washington, and Mr. McClinton |
Baton Rouge, La - Small
farmers from across Louisiana have gathered at the Southern University
Agricultural Research and Extension Center today for the 5th annual
Louisiana Small Farmers Conference. The event was kickoff with a ribbon-cutting
ceremony for the Sustainable Urban Ag Demonstration Farm, a “show and tell
garden.” The grand opening event was graced with the presence of the Hon. Mike
Strain, Commissioner, LA Dept. of Agriculture and Forestry; the Hon. Melvin “Kip”
Holden, Mayor-President, EBR Parish; Representative Dalton Honore, District 63;
Dr. Monique Winfield, Vice President, SU System; Mr. Flandus McClinton, Interim
Chancellor, SUBR; Dr. Adell Brown, Jr., Exec. Vice Chancellor& VC for Research, Dr. Gina E. Eubanks, Vice Chancellor for Extension, SU Ag Center.
The three-day
conference, themed “Showcasing Louisiana’s Small Family Farms,” is designed to
educate, provide expanded awareness of educational opportunities, USDA programs
and services and other resources to help small farmers stay in business.
This event will also
assist individuals interested in starting an agricultural business while
sharing resources for others who are interested in urban farming.
The conference will also
include a presentation on the 2014 Farm Bill and the opportunities it provides
to small farmers; the Louisiana Living Legends Banquet, which honors individuals
who have made significant contributions to Southern University in the area
of Agriculture, Family and Consumer Sciences, and will end with the
graduation ceremony of the Louisiana Small Farmer Agricultural Leadership
Institute on Saturday, March 21.
The conference is
coordinated by Dr. Dawn Mellion-Patin who can be reached at 225-771-2242 or via
e-mail at dawn_mellion@suagcenter.com.
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