KEY TAKEAWAYS: Richard Fontenot was reelected to a third one-year term as Louisiana Farm Bureau president. More than 2,000 producers attended the Farm Bureau Convention in New Orleans alongside statewide political leaders. The Farm Bureau helps shape agriculture policy for Louisiana’s $13 bi llion farming industry. Members also elected executive committee officers and reelected leaders of the Young Farmers and Ranchers and Women’s Leadership committees. Acadiana Farmer Richard Fontenot will continue to lead Louisiana’s most influential agriculture voice as president of Farm Bureau, which wields considerable political clout and lobbies to set policy for the state’s $13 billion industry. Fontenot was elected June 21 to a third one-year term as president at the Farm Bureau Convention in New Orleans. More than 2,000 of the state’s producers gathered for the event, as did many of the state’s top politicians to court them, including the leading candidates for U.S. Senate — Republicans John Fleming and Julia Letlow and Democrat Jamie Davis. “I’m excited to see what the future holds as this leadership team tackles the challenge of modern agriculture,” said Fontenot, a fourth-generation producer who farms rice, soybeans and crawfish oin the edge of Ville Platte in Evangeline Parish. First Vice President Marty Wooldridge of Caddo Parish, second Vice President Burch Pierce of Catahoula Parish, third Vice-President Amelia Kent of Tangipahoa Parish and Secretary-Treasurer Mike Melancon of St. Martin Parish also were elected to one-year terms on the board’s executive committee. Aaron Lee of Vermilion Parish was reelected as chair of the Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee and Michele Simoneaux of Assumption Parish was reelected to chair the Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. Aaron Lee of Vermilion Parish was reelected as chair of the Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee and Michele Simoneaux of Assumption Parish was reelected to chair the Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. Fontenot and his leadership team help set the course to advance agriculture priorities from Baton Rouge to Washington, D.C. “Anytime you have a chance to offer to serve and share leadership with members like this who share the same passion to promote and protect agriculture it’s a blessing,” said Fontenot, 57, in a previous interview with USA Today Network. “I can’t think of a more important calling than nurturing an industry that provides food and fiber to the world.” Aaron Lee of Vermilion Parish was reelected as chair of the Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee and Michele Simoneaux of Assumption Parish was reelected to chair the Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee. Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1. This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Cajun crawfish farmer leads Louisiana’s most powerful agriculture group Reporting by Greg Hilburn, Shreveport Times / Shreveport Times USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect ...read more read less