Trail riders enjoy horse competition

Vincent Williams, president of LA Posse Trail Riders, Lacombe, Louisiana, was a first timer at the Southern University Ag Center's annual horse show and trail ride this weekend. 

Williams is 1992 SU alumnus and has been showing horses and trail riding for more than 30 years.  He found out from other riders about the SU show and decided to join the fun. Now, he plans to return next year because "it was a pleasure".  

He joined more than 400 horsemen, women, and youth who gathered at the M.A. Edmund Livestock Arena for the annual competition that is organized by the Center's Livestock Show Programs Office. 

For more information on the horseshow, contact Christie Monroe, assistant director, livestock show programs, at (225) 771-2242 ext. 330 or christie_monroe(at)suagcenter.com. (Photo by Bridget Udoh) 

Local producers attend national conference

By Bridget Udoh

Local producers from Louisiana attended the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group’s (SSAWG) 18th Annual Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms conference in Chattanooga, Tennessee, January 21-24.

Forty-five producers, students, extension agents and other agricultural professionals received scholarships from the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program to attend the conference.

The conference provided 56 educational sessions, five field trips, five intensive short courses, four mini courses, and a bonus USDA grant writing workshop. The meeting consisted of farm tours and presentations on numerous topics including organic production, cut flowers, pastured poultry, goat production, and farm management.

Fifty-year veteran peach farmer Jonathan Jackson, from Shreveport, was accompanied by his mentee Rafeeq Naji on the trip. The duo are neighbors and Naji attended the conference to garner additional information on starting an organic vegetable farm. Jackson invited Naji because he was aware of the benefits associated with the conference attendance through networking with other producers and professionals.

Participants expressed appreciation for the networking opportunities at the conference, and many said they were greatly inspired because they received information that would benefit their farming operations and enhance their professional capabilities. 

“I have learned valuable lessons from the conference by talking to other farmers and attending the sessions. I will start small and expand gradually,” Naji said.

Jackson attributes his success in farming to information provided by his local extension agents. “I highly commend all extension agents for the work they do. Keep up the good work,” he said.

Our own Southwest Center for Rural Initiatives assisted with the recruitment and registration of local farmers and agricultural producers and high school students from its 10-parish region to attend the conference. LaVonya Malveaux, Southwest Center director, co-sponsored the trip for Louisiana participants.

The group traveled under the leadership of Owusu Bandele, Ph.D., professor, horticulture, Southern University Ag Center, and Carl Motsenbocker, Ph.D, professor, horticulture, LSU. The two professors served as the state coordinators.

>By Bridget Udoh,Ph.D., communications specialist, bridget_udoh@suagcenter.com