• 27 minutes 52 seconds
    Black-Bellied Whistling Ducks: A Farm Problem Becomes a Hunting Opportunity

    Louisiana duck hunters have a new opportunity this October, and concerns from rice farmers helped move the conversation forward.

    On this episode of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast, Karl Wiggers visits with Vermilion Parish rice farmer Allen McLain, Louisiana Farm Bureau Commodity and Public Policy Director Andy Brown, and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Waterfowl Program Manager Jason Olszak. They explain how black-bellied whistling ducks damage young rice, why grain facilities have raised concerns of their own, and how farmers, researchers and wildlife officials have worked together to address the issue.


    The conversation covers Louisiana’s new experimental hunting season, why it took years of coordination and how hunter participation and reporting can help shape what comes next. The guests also discuss the connection between productive rice farms and healthy waterfowl habitat.


    Show Notes:

    15 September 2026, 9:00 am
  • 14 minutes 22 seconds
    How Hunters Help Feed Louisiana with Julie Grunewald

    Louisiana is Sportsman’s Paradise, and Hunters for the Hungry Louisiana is giving hunters and fishermen another way to put that tradition to work.

    Host Avery Davidson sits down with Hunters for the Hungry Louisiana Executive Director Julie Grunewald to talk about how the organization turns donated deer, hogs, fish and other protein into meals for people in need. Julie explains the upcoming Clean Out Your Freezer Day, how hunters can donate freshly harvested game at participating processors at no cost to them, and how those donations are kept as local as possible to help feed neighbors in communities across Louisiana. 


    Show Notes:

    18 August 2026, 9:00 am
  • 32 minutes 31 seconds
    A Seat at the Farmhouse Table

    When a member of U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s staff asked to learn more about Louisiana cattle production, Louisiana Farm Bureau knew exactly where to take him. Then Johnson noticed the visit on his calendar and asked to come along.

    In this episode, Karl Wiggers talks with Andy Brown, director of Commodity and Public Policy at the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, about the resulting roundtable at Marty Wooldridge’s farm near Oil City. Brown explains how farmers used the opportunity to discuss high input costs, difficult commodity markets, trade, forestry, poultry, livestock disaster programs and the stalled farm bill.


    The conversation also offers a behind-the-scenes look at grassroots advocacy and why relationships built long before a major policy vote can give Louisiana farmers a meaningful seat at the table.


    Show Notes:

    4 August 2026, 9:00 am
  • 12 minutes 58 seconds
    From Farm Stand to Farm Bureau Queen

    Before Jean Treas ever stepped onto a convention stage, she was folding produce boxes, helping customers at her family’s roadside market and learning the work behind a fifth-generation farm.

    Now, the 19-year-old Tangipahoa Parish native is carrying that agricultural experience into her new role as the 2026 Louisiana Farm Bureau Queen.

    Host Allie Shipley—herself a former Louisiana Farm Bureau queen—sits down with Jean to discuss growing up on a produce farm, working directly with consumers, studying occupational health and safety at Southeastern Louisiana University and preparing for a year of representing farmers and ranchers across the state.


    Jean also explains why the Louisiana Farm Bureau Queen’s Contest is about much more than dresses and a crown. For her, the title is an opportunity to advocate for agriculture, connect consumers with the people growing their food and help build a culture that supports local and generational farms.


    Jean will spend the coming year attending agricultural events and festivals across Louisiana and representing the state in Washington, D.C. The official contest includes agricultural and Farm Bureau interviews, a style show, an evening gown presentation and an onstage question. 

    21 July 2026, 9:00 am
  • 18 minutes 33 seconds
    President's Perspective: Convention, Family and the Future of Louisiana Agriculture

    Louisiana Farm Bureau President Richard Fontenot joins Karl Wiggers for a post-convention conversation following the 104th Annual Louisiana Farm Bureau Convention in New Orleans.

    Fresh off his reelection to a third term, Fontenot reflects on a convention marked by record attendance, strong energy, youth involvement, policy discussions and the multigenerational Farm Bureau family that continues to shape Louisiana agriculture. He shares what stood out from the week, from the great youth competitions to the lawmakers, USDA leaders and industry stakeholders who came to listen, learn and work alongside farmers.

    The conversation also turns to the serious challenges facing producers across the state, including flooding impacts in parts of central Louisiana, tight margins, input costs, labor concerns, the Farm Bill and the importance of strong agricultural policy. Through it all, Fontenot points back to the people, families and volunteers who make Louisiana Farm Bureau “the voice of Louisiana agriculture.”


    Show Notes:

    7 July 2026, 9:00 am
  • 10 minutes 20 seconds
    Getting Outside the Trees with Gilbert Boudreaux

    Josh Meeks takes over the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast from the road during the 2026 LFBF Beef Tour in Texas. He sits down with longtime tour participant and Louisiana cattleman Gilbert Boudreaux to talk about his cow-calf operation, why he keeps coming back on the Beef Tour and what producers can learn from seeing how others approach the same challenges in agriculture.

    Gilbert shares his honest perspective on cattle, legacy, markets, sustainability and the importance of getting away from the day-to-day work long enough to learn from other farmers and ranchers. From feedlots and universities to conversations on the bus, this episode is about the value of fellowship, curiosity and “getting outside the trees” to see what agriculture looks like beyond your own operation.


    Show Notes:

    9 June 2026, 9:00 am
  • 40 minutes 8 seconds
    Cultivating Connection with Katie Nunez

    Katie Nunez grew up in Iberville Parish as part of a fourth-generation sugarcane farming family, with Farm Bureau woven into nearly every part of her life. Today, she serves in several leadership roles with Louisiana Farm Bureau and American Farm Bureau, while also helping farmers navigate H-2A labor paperwork and supporting workers who are often facing their own stress far from home.

    In this episode of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast, Allie Shipley sits down with Katie as part of our Mental Health Month series and the Cultivating Connection initiative. Katie opens up about the pressure farming families carry, the pain of her family’s farm changing, the stress of business ownership, motherhood, adoption and raising a child with special needs. She also shares how therapy, medication and honest conversations have helped her better understand her own mental health.

    Katie’s message is simple but powerful: farmers are used to calling someone when a truck breaks down, and that same Farm Bureau family is there when a person is breaking down, too. Everyone’s story is different, and everyone’s solution may look different, but nobody has to carry the weight alone.

    If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.


    Show Notes:

    26 May 2026, 9:00 am
  • 42 minutes 9 seconds
    Cultivating Connection with David Smith

    Beauregard Parish Farm Bureau President David Smith has spent a lifetime around agriculture. Today, he grows corn, soybeans, wheat and other crops near DeRidder, while also serving on the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation state board and the Cultivating Connection Mental Health Committee.

    In this episode of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast, Smith joins us from the field to talk about the weight farmers carry during tough economic times, unpredictable weather and the pressure of keeping a family farm going for the next generation. He reflects on growing up during the farm crisis of the 1980s, watching his father carry the stress of farming, and how those same pressures show up in different ways today.


    Smith says farmers are often “fixers,” but that does not mean they have to carry everything alone. His message is simple: check on each other, listen, and do not be afraid to talk about what is really going on. This conversation is part of Louisiana Farm Bureau’s Cultivating Connection effort, encouraging farmers, ranchers and rural communities to have honest conversations about stress, mental health and the importance of staying connected.

    12 May 2026, 9:00 am
  • 43 minutes 47 seconds
    Cultivating Connection with Courtney Gerace

    In this episode of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast, Allie Shipley sits down with Courtney Gerace to talk about mental health in agriculture and the personal journey that led her to help launch Louisiana Farm Bureau’s new initiative, Cultivating Connection. Gerace shares her own experience with anxiety and depression, explains why farm life can intensify stress and isolation, and discusses how this effort hopes to connect people with resources and encourage honest conversations across rural Louisiana.

    28 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 29 minutes 55 seconds
    Aaron & Jamie Lee: Growing Through Farm Bureau

    Jamie and Aaron Lee of Vermilion Parish join the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast to talk about how Young Farmers & Ranchers helped shape their path in agriculture and leadership. They share how Farm Bureau gave them confidence, connections, and encouragement to grow as farmers, advocates, and volunteers. From parish involvement to leadership at the state level, their story is a reminder that sometimes simply showing up can change everything.

    14 April 2026, 9:00 am
  • 32 minutes 22 seconds
    On the Farm with Richard Fontenot: Spring Challenges and Strong Leadership

    Louisiana Farm Bureau President Richard Fontenot joins the Louisiana Farm Bureau Podcast from his farm to talk about the realities of spring planting, the uncertainty facing agriculture in 2026, and the work being done on behalf of farmers at every level. From Farm Bill conversations in Washington, D.C., to the success of Louisiana Farm Bureau’s Rooted in Leadership Conference and the upcoming Membership Monday push, Fontenot shares why engagement, relationships and grassroots advocacy matter more than ever. He also looks ahead to convention season and previews new efforts to support farmers through mental health awareness.

    31 March 2026, 9:00 am
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