The Rotary Club of Ville Platte today (Tuesday) heard from Rene Simon with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture. Simon was the special guest of Rotarian Wayne Vidrine.
Simon said agriculture is an important part of the economy in Evangeline Parish. In fact, agriculture has a $140 million dollar impact on our local economy. It also plays a big part in our local culture.
He announced that the LSU Ag Center economist Dr. Kurt Guidry reported that the August floods caused a $277 million impact in crop and livestock losses. The rice crop took the biggest hit .
However, Evangeline Parish and Louisiana residents are “resilient and they will come back.” He reminded club members that in 2008, the state took a one billion dollar economic loss following Hurricane Gustave.
Louisiana Ag Commissioner Dr. Strain and other agriculture officials along with Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards will be on a trade mission to Cuba in the next few weeks. The mission is to promote Louisiana rice consumption. He reported that the average Cuban consumes 180 pounds of rice a year, more than the Chinese. Cuba is a very poor country with the average citizen makes $20 a month while a surgeon makes $60 a month.
In other rotary club news, it was announced by Club President Peter Strawitz:
--the club made a $1000 donation to the Coreil Campus at South Louisiana Community College for equipment to the Welding department;
--approved a $1000 donation to the Casa to purchase office furniture for the new Casa (Court Appointed Special Advocate) office in Ville Platte;
--reminded club members that a membership and fellowship meeting is set for October 18 at Main Street Pizza at 6;00pm to invite potential new members to attend.