News Release Distributed 05/07/15

BATON ROUGE, La – The 2015 Louisiana 4-H Commodity Ambassador contests were held on April 28 on the LSU campus in Baton Rouge. In all, 98 4-H’ers from across the state competed in the chicken, egg, seafood, sugar and turkey ambassador contests.

The 4-H Commodity Ambassador program is designed for education and enhancement of 4-H Club members, according to Theresia Lavergne, LSU AgCenter poultry specialist and organizer of the competition.

“The program provides an opportunity for 4-H’ers to increase their knowledge of agricultural commodities, as well as improve their verbal and written communication skills,” Lavergne said.

The participants competed in three divisions: Division I for fourth- to sixth-graders, Division II for seventh- to ninth-graders and Division III for 10th- to 12th-graders.

The 2015 state winners are:

Chicken Ambassador

Division I – Morgan Green, Sabine Parish
Division II – Emily Lanie, Lafayette Parish
Division III – Matthew Landry, Ascension Parish

Egg Ambassador

Division I – John Michael Shiner, Vermilion Parish
Division II – Ava Broussard, Lafayette Parish
Division III – Brittney Watson, Iberia Parish

Seafood Ambassador

Division I – Kallie Pitre, Allen Parish
Division II – Gabrielle Fontenot, Evangeline Parish
Division III – Marcus Broussard, Vermilion Parish

Sugar Ambassador

Division I – Olivia Lopez, Vermilion Parish
Division II – Caroline Whisonant, Winn Parish
Division III – Erin Scott, Caldwell Parish

Turkey Ambassador

Division I – Jamie Lavergne, Ascension Parish
Division II – Laurel Chiasson, Lafourche Parish
Division III – Erin Blanchard, St. Martin Parish

The winners in contest Divisions I and II received a $50 award.

The winners in Division III of the chicken, egg and turkey ambassador contests won a trip to represent Louisiana at the National 4-H Poultry & Egg Conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in November.

The winners in Division III of the seafood and sugar ambassador contests won a 4-H educational trip scheduled for July.

The sponsors of the 4-H Commodity Ambassador programs are the Louisiana Poultry Federation, the Louisiana Egg Commission, the Louisiana Seafood and Marketing Board, the American Society of Sugarcane Technologists and the Louisiana 4-H Foundation.