Catahoula Parish ANR Advisory Leadership Meeting

Catahoula Parish ANR Advisory Leadership Meeting March 6, 2013 9:00 am Catahoula Parish Extension Office Harrisonburg, LA

The Catahoula Parish ANR Advisory Leadership Meeting was held on March 6, 2013 at 9:00 am in the Catahoula Parish Extension Office.

Members Present: Kevin Routon – FSA office Vicky Costanza – Cattle/Home Gardens Ellis Boothe – Homeland Security Director/Cattle/Wildlife Clyde Irvin – NRCS office John Bird – Forestry/Wildlife Kathy Wood – Forestry/Wildlife John Barker – Forestry/Wildlife Libby Ford – Catahoula Parish Police Jury, President

Members Not-Present: Edna Cooper – Home Gardens Drewitt Taylor – Cattle Nathan Roark – Row Crops Willard Kassel – Row Crops Tim White – Crop Consultant James White – Catahoula LaSalle Bank Dennis Cowart – Pecans/Home Gardens

The meeting was conducted by Joshua S. Price, Assistant Extension Agent (ANR). The meeting was opened with an introduction of himself and what he had been doing since he became employed in May 2012. The majority of the time spent by Mr. Price last year was getting out and meeting the clientele of Catahoula Parish, participation in the Cotton Variety Trial on Roger Carter’s farm, providing a live site location for the Master Wildlifer program, and becoming elected to serve as the Secretary/Treasurer for the Catahoula Parish Cattleman’s Association.

Mr. Price welcomed all of the Advisory Leadership Council (ALC) members that were present and gave a brief overview of the mission of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, and its purpose in the Parish. The committee members were also advised on the purpose of their existence, why they were chosen to serve on the ALC, and their responsibilities to the Catahoula Parish ANR Advisory Leadership Council.

Mr. Price then gave some ideas that he would like to see started in Catahoula Parish in the next year. They included: More Variety Trials: cotton, corn, milo, and soybeans Master Cattleman Program Master Gardener Program Other forestry/wildlife programs Insect/disease detection Timber theft prevention Managing timber for profit and wildlife benefits Each committee member was then asked to share what they would like to see in the Parish for 2013-14.

Kevin Routon: More variety trials and he would be willing to help identify producers that might would like to participate. Vicky Costanza: Master Gardener and Master Cattleman programs. Spirit Reins – need youth volunteers that are looking for experience helping special needs children using horses for speech therapy. Clyde Irvin: Forestry – EQUIP programs, would like to work cooperatively with the LSU AgCenter on spreading the word about these programs to landowners. Master Gardener – Greenhouse Programs through the EQUIP program. Teach more about the cost share programs offered through the NRCS. Ellis Boothe: Cost share for prescribed fire in timberland and range land. Specialized training with local fire departments on forestry related fires. Storm Loss/Economics of Parish producers after natural disasters, work cooperatively with LSU AgCenter. * Kevin Routon noted that the LSU AgCenter and the Office of Homeland Security serves on the FSA’s storm loss and economics board as ex officio members. Wants to see Parish Youth become more involved with livestock programs. John Bird: Provide “Production and Financial Classes” to new producers, in Catahoula Parish. Provide more Forestry/Wildlife programs such as the Master Wildlifer program. Prescribed fire training. John Barker: Interested in learning more about timber harvest scheduling. Black Bear Problems with human interaction. Feral Hog Problems with human interaction. Kathy Wood: Prescribed fire on pine timber. More Forestry/Wildlife programs such as the Master Wildlifer program. Interested in learning more about timber harvest scheduling. Libby Ford: Offered the use of the Police Jury Meeting Room for any meetings we have scheduled.

Upon the completion of each committee member’s voice of desired programming, Mr. Price discussed the possibility of having a prescribed fire training session using the trailers provided by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, with all the necessary equipment for a prescribed fire. Mr. Price also talked about the possibility of providing other programs such as the Master Wildlifer at a lower cost, using LSU AgCenter specialist, which could include food plot demonstrations and deer browse surveys.

After all discussion was ended, Mr. Price thanked each committee member, and stated that we would try to meet once per year over the course of the next three years. Mr. Price also, reminded everyone that he worked on an “open-door” policy, and encouraged each committee member to call or come by for a visit if they thought of more ideas for future programming in Catahoula Parish.

The meeting adjourned at 10:00 am.