BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
The economic impact of the St. Landry Parish agricultural industry was saluted Tuesday as the Opelousas Noon Rotary Club recognized three farmers and their families during annual Farmer of The Year presentation ceremonies.
Richard Hollier, Billy McWorthy and Dwayne Smith were honored during the club’s Agricultural Appreciation Day as farmers who have excelled in raising rice, cattle and crawfish.
Hollier, who cultivates rice and soybeans in the Palmetto area, was named Farmer of The Year,
McWorthy, who has raised cattle for 34 years, was selected as Cattleman of The Year.
Smith farms extensive acres of crawfish.
During the presentation for McWorthy, Rotary club president Mike Ortego noted that McWorthy began his cattle operation with five cows. Now McWorthy oversees cattle who are spread over 450 acres that McWorthy either leases or owns, Ortego said.
McWorthy told the Rotarians that raising cattle is often a labor intensive occupation and he credited Ray Fontenot with assisting him.
Dwayne Smith was honored as the Crawfish Farmer of The Year.
Smith, who originally managed a farm owned by the Dewey Ledoux family, started farming in 1977.
Now Smith farms 2,220 acres, with about 1,600 acres dedicated to crawfish.
Ortego pointed out that Smith is a third generation farmer. Smith introduced Hayden Smith as a developing fourth generation farmer.
St. Landry Agricultural Profile
Vince Deshotel, LSU Agricultural Center agent for Evangeline Parish, said that soybeans are still the most grown crop in St. Landry.
However Deshotel added that sugar cane has made strides in becoming a significant cash crop parishwide.
This year Deshotel said that about 80,000 acres of soybeans are being produced in St. Landry, while sugar cane is consuming about 30,000 acres annually.
Deshotel pointed out that the summer and early fall drought of 2023 cast a detrimental impact on parish agriculture.
“Our area had the highest warming temperatures in our time last year. Especially affected were the crawfish. Basically the soil died out,” said Deshotel.
Deshotel added that the crawfish crop this year seems to be recovering.
Overall Agricultural Future
Ortego provided statistics which indicate that American agriculture is being overseen by an aging population.
The average farmer, Ortego said, is 55 years old, during a population cycle in which the need for food sources has been increasing.
