East Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden and LSU AgCenter vice chancellor and director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service Paul Coreil discuss the LSU and SU AgCenter programs in the parish during the recent appreciation luncheon in the Baton Rouge Metro Council Chambers. (Photo by Johnny Morgan. Click on photo for downloadable image.)

The faculty from both the LSU and SU AgCenters met recently in the East Baton Rouge Metro Council Chambers to give their progress report for the year’s activities along with reports from their clientele.

The March 21 meeting featured a variety of residents who gave testimonials of the help they have received from the AgCenters.

Mayor-President Kip Holden opened the meeting with praise for the work that each organization is doing in the parish and stressed the reason agriculture has to be protected no matter the cost.

“You can look at the research that’s being done at Pennington on diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Yet your nutrition programs are being taught to young people and others to help prevent these problems,” Holden said. “So when governments begin cutting their budgets, they need to realize there are real people behind that line they just cut.”

The results of both AgCenters work are vital to the health and wellbeing of the young and old, he said.

“If you cut the nutrition programs, you will begin seeing an increase in need for health care,” Holden said.

Holden praised the AgCenters for initiating a school garden program, not only in the parish but across the state.

After the

Kendall Boults and De’Marcus Jefferson, both students at Redemptorist Jr. High and East Baton Rouge Parish 4-H members, spoke at the LSU and Southern University AgCenters Appreciation Luncheon for metro council members. They discussed the reason they like 4-H and how it has helped them to become leaders. (Photo by Johnny Morgan. Click on photo for downloadable image.)

mayor’s comments, welcomes were extended from Paul Coreil, LSU AgCenter vice chancellor and director of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, Gina Eubanks, vice chancellor of the Southern University Extension Service, and Bobby Fletcher, LSU AgCenter regional director.

Coreil explained how the two AgCenters work together to make sure that every citizen in the state has the opportunity to be served.

“The exciting thing about extension is that it is not static. It’s always changing with the needs of the community. And as the new research comes forward, we have to bring it to you,” Coreil said. “Probably the biggest change has been in the 4-H program since we were kids.”

When most people think of 4-H they think of livestock shows. But today, only seven percent of 4-H members are involved with livestock, Coreil said.

Others who spoke on the program included Donna Montgomery, a retiree from the LSU AgCenter and current Master Gardener; Carnell Washington and Robert Wallace, beef cattle producers; Betty Butler, Kewan Harrell, Daniel Fontenot, Rita Hawthorn and Brenda Swanigan, nutrition and parenting program representatives; and Kendall Boults and De’Marcus Jefferson, 4-H members.

“The purpose of this luncheon is to inform our government officials about the type of programs we are implementing and to tell them thank you for the support they provide and to allow them to hear from the people who are involved and have been helped by our programs,” said Sharman Charles, LSU AgCenter East Baton Rouge parish chair and nutrition agent.

Johnny Morgan