Louisiana Farm Bureau is constantly working protect and promote Louisiana's farmers, ranchers, and rural residents. This podcast exists to share stories of those farmers with interviews about their farms and issues important to them. Here, we will also share about the work Farm Bureau is doing on their behalf on issues related to public policy from the parish level all the way to the halls of Congress in D.C.
00;00;00;00 - 00;00;19;15
Speaker 2
Welcome to the Louisiana Farm Bureau podcast. I'm obviously not Karl Wiggers However, March is national women's history Month, so, we're letting the girls take over this one. And we're going to take this month to highlight some of the amazing women in agriculture across our state, and also just some of the great things that we have to offer, for women in our state through the Louisiana Farm Bureau.
00;00;19;17 - 00;00;23;21
Speaker 2
So without further ado, I want to introduce you to our first guest, Miss Michelle Simoneaux.
00;00;23;24 - 00;00;31;28
Speaker 1
Hello, I'm Michelle Simoneaux I'm from Assumption Parish, and I'm the state chair for Louisiana Farm Bureau women's Leadership Committee. And glad to be here.
00;00;32;01 - 00;00;48;16
Speaker 2
Yeah, we're so glad in her beautiful home. We're so lucky to be here and on this beautiful day. So let's start for people who may not know who you are or what you do, or who your mom and them, as we were just joking about earlier. Tell us a little bit about you, where you're from and how you got to where we are today.
00;00;48;18 - 00;01;13;10
Speaker 1
I'm originally from Minden Louisiana, so I'm a redneck import down to south Louisiana. Came to LSU, met my husband Rodney, and, quickly was introduced to the rural life and assumption parish, which I had knew nothing about. So, we married in 85 and married 40 years this year and jumped into life in our. And he was a state chair in 1989.
00;01;13;12 - 00;01;34;19
Speaker 1
So from there we did activities with wife and our. And then I was the parish chair, sat on the women's committee in Assumption Parish. Parish chair, women's committee. Moved on to district director. And then from there I became secretary treasurer for executive committee. Moved up to vice chair and then to chair.
00;01;34;21 - 00;01;39;20
Speaker 2
Awesome. Quite exciting for sure. You really jumped all in when you, got on.
00;01;39;21 - 00;01;40;25
Speaker 1
We did, we did.
00;01;40;26 - 00;01;56;25
Speaker 2
And you may be thinking, listening to that resume that you obviously didn't have time for a lot of other things, but you also have quite the amount of kids and grandkids and are involved a lot of other things. So tell us a little bit about your family dynamics and what life on the farm back here is like outside of the Farm Bureau involvement.
00;01;57;00 - 00;02;20;18
Speaker 1
So we raised four children Stephen, Sarah, Mary, Claire and Rebecca. They're all married now. Stephen is on the farm with us. We raised sugar cane, dabbled in soybeans a little back when the price was really up, but, we're strictly sugar cane. And then, our claim to fame is to Farm Bureau, Queen State Farm Bureau, Queen Mary Clay and Rebecca in 2010 and 12.
00;02;20;21 - 00;02;27;27
Speaker 1
And they all together. I have nine grandchildren and one on the way. So keeps us busy.
00;02;28;03 - 00;02;43;23
Speaker 2
As if you were not busy enough with all the other things. Okay, so let's kind of go back. We talked a little bit about how you got involved in Farm Bureau, but let's maybe talk about the first time that you remember ever hearing about Farm Bureau or what that was like, what your introduction was like into that?
00;02;43;26 - 00;02;47;11
Speaker 2
Obviously it was through Mister Rodney, buddy, at first I didn't know.
00;02;47;17 - 00;03;00;10
Speaker 1
I didn't know a thing. And like when you go to a meeting, they're like, you're going to have to participate in, for H, you know, cookies and all. I'm like, what am I to do as long as I don't have to cook? As I said, my cooking was not that good.
00;03;00;14 - 00;03;05;16
Speaker 2
That's funny. You just made us lunch and it was pretty good, so even they were wrong.
00;03;05;19 - 00;03;24;22
Speaker 1
I learned to cook along the way as well, but, Yeah. So, we jumped right in and, you know, whatever his duty was, was my duty. And, I also went to work for first it back in the day was production Credit Association, and now we're first South Farm credit. So I've been there for 40 years. And, it's a lending company for Mac.
00;03;24;22 - 00;03;30;04
Speaker 1
And so between the farm and work and the kids, we just jump right in.
00;03;30;04 - 00;03;32;14
Speaker 2
And you really there was no other lifestyle.
00;03;32;14 - 00;03;34;00
Speaker 1
That was it.
00;03;34;02 - 00;03;41;08
Speaker 2
Why don't you tell us a little bit about your job with First South Farm credit? Because those kind of overlap with farm Bureau. I feel like we run into you in the professional setting. I volunteer, so.
00;03;41;15 - 00;04;03;20
Speaker 1
We, or an ag lender, we make crop loans, cattle loans, equipment loans and real estate loans. Just for, hunting properties and stuff. So I'm a branch, operations coordinator for Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana. So, been there for 40 years, and I love my job. I love the people I work with. We get to associate with Farm Bureau.
00;04;03;20 - 00;04;08;24
Speaker 1
We sponsor a lot of events for Farm Bureau and other ag, events as well.
00;04;08;27 - 00;04;24;16
Speaker 2
So. So it's fun. You really again do we just don't all and we're just laughing that, you would never know that you didn't grow up in this lifestyle. But let's talk a little bit about what it was like raising all of your kids in this lifestyle, especially from somebody who didn't grow up in that. And what value you think that has?
00;04;24;18 - 00;04;41;15
Speaker 1
Well, they learned when their dad, Papa Carl, they had to go to work. So if Papa called in, the workers didn't show up. They had to go to work. I will say I have never driven a tractor down, intend to drive a tractor, but, my kids did it. Stephen is on the farm and he worked throughout college, you know, all the time.
00;04;41;15 - 00;04;58;18
Speaker 1
And then the girls. If Rodney, somebody didn't show up. If they're in their cheerleader uniform or whatever, they would drive a tractor. Yeah. I don't know if they ever really drive the combine. Rebecca probably wanted to. I'm not sure, so. But, when duty calls, you have to do what you got to do.
00;04;58;18 - 00;05;18;10
Speaker 2
I think that's an awesome thing, though, especially for Women's History Month and kind of what we're talking about. Just women and ag. I think that's an important thing. Like women and AG doesn't always look like what we think it looks like. And it doesn't have to be. You're a full time farmer and it doesn't have to be. You can still be involved in the lifestyle and not look necessarily the stereotypical part and still have a a pretty good role in it.
00;05;18;10 - 00;05;20;14
Speaker 2
And I think your kids are all really good examples of that. Yeah.
00;05;20;14 - 00;05;36;06
Speaker 1
And I mean, I think it taught them responsibility. You know, loyal it, you know, just, a good work ethic. You know, a lot of employers also tell you, you know, if they see a resume with, any kind of farming industry on it that you usually turn out to be a great employee.
00;05;36;07 - 00;05;53;22
Speaker 2
I believe that for sure. For sure. Okay, let's kind of go back to Farm Bureau a little bit. Now that we've kind of touched about the general AG, you are our women's leadership state chair. So can you talk about what the Women's Leadership Committee is and what you'll do? Just kind of give for somebody who's maybe never heard of that?
00;05;53;22 - 00;05;55;17
Speaker 2
Just give us a little overview of what that is.
00;05;55;17 - 00;06;16;15
Speaker 1
So the mission for the Women's Leadership Committee is to, provide leadership for women of all ages and to run across the state in the community nationally. We want the women to be able to tell the story because, of course, I think women tell the story better than men. But, anyway, so that is our goal.
00;06;16;15 - 00;06;38;04
Speaker 1
And it starts in a parish and there's a women's committee, and we we will help any women's committee, any women in that parish. There's a boot camp in, Washington, D.C.. American Farm Bureau puts on, but we just want to give every woman an opportunity, you know, to tell their story and, all over, you know, to the consumers, it's awesome.
00;06;38;04 - 00;06;52;16
Speaker 2
And we appreciate that some of the work we do in our department, and we know they are great echoes of that. And it's so important because, we kind of thought we were joking with Mr. Rodney before. He's like, I mean, I'll get on camera, but the women are a little more apt to get on camera to spread the word and tell about what they do.
00;06;52;16 - 00;07;01;05
Speaker 2
That sometimes, and especially as somebody who's not grown up in it, we take for granted that everybody knows what we do and understands what we do. And that's not necessarily I think.
00;07;01;06 - 00;07;18;27
Speaker 1
People do take that for granted these days. But with all the social media, it's really important to tell your story because people comment on social media. It's not always true. You know, they'll talk about the labels and the organic and this and that. But, if we don't tell the real story, it just doesn't get told.
00;07;19;02 - 00;07;48;03
Speaker 1
We kind of joke sometimes at Farm Bureau that they kind of ask us to, we ask people to marry, before we even ask a date. And it sounds like that was kind of the case with you and Mr. Ronnie when you married him. It sounds like you married in the Farm Bureau. So how from the time that you were kind of thrown into Farm Bureau and being involved in that to now when you're sitting on the state board as women's leadership chair and dedicating a lot of your time, because that's the reality, is our volun this is a volunteer organization and everybody is volunteering their time.
00;07;48;03 - 00;08;02;25
Speaker 1
And as we've talked about, you've got a full time job, you're helping on the farm and you've got a plethora of grandkids that you're also helping with a lot that I know. So why do you do it and what have you seen? What have you gained from the organization from the time that you were thrown in till now?
00;08;02;25 - 00;08;06;01
Speaker 1
And why do you continue to dedicate time to it?
00;08;06;04 - 00;08;29;18
Speaker 3
I think most of all, I've gained my leadership skills, you know, definitely from Farm Bureau. So I would attribute that. But the main thing I think I really see is what Farm Bureau can do for you. You know, we've had the drought, we've had the crawfish. If it wasn't for Farm Bureau stepping up and for policy and other other things, we wouldn't be in the position we are today.
00;08;29;24 - 00;08;50;21
Speaker 3
You know, when farmers need help, any any time a farmer, we rely on Farm Bureau. So that's what I want people to see. What farm Bureau can really do for you personally and for leadership growth, but also for your farm policy, because it's from your state level all the way up to national. And they provide a lot of assistance.
00;08;50;28 - 00;08;51;19
Speaker 1
For sure, for our.
00;08;51;19 - 00;08;52;16
Speaker 3
Family farm.
00;08;52;17 - 00;09;11;12
Speaker 1
We kind of joke sometimes. There's a joke that, like, everybody benefits from Farm Bureau, even if you're not a member, if you're an AG, you benefit from farm Bureau. But the reality is it does take people volunteering their time to make Farm Bureau happen and to be a reality. And for those effects to go into change and to have people at the Capitol lobbying for those changes and things like that.
00;09;11;15 - 00;09;24;05
Speaker 1
So I think it's really important. What would you tell your neighbor if somewhere here in Melrose, we're asking about Farm Bureau, and I just don't really have time to go to that parish meeting or I don't really I don't think there's anything in it for me. They don't need me. What would you tell them?
00;09;24;07 - 00;09;44;27
Speaker 3
Well, other than the policy benefits that, you know, help keep our rural communities going? There's benefits, you know, for, rental cars, hotels, car seats, ear hearing, the list goes on and on. And so, you know, I tell people that work at the feed store, you need three car seats. You can get them for cheap joint.
00;09;44;29 - 00;10;01;00
Speaker 3
You become a member, you know. So, that's another thing I would tell them, but I've, I've made friends, you know, from north to south, east to west in the country, you know, through Farm Bureau. And, they're just almost like my family now, you know, not other than just being friends.
00;10;01;02 - 00;10;18;27
Speaker 1
Kind of goes to that. Do you think what I think a lot of people involved in agriculture and within Farm Bureau have the same values, and it's great to connect with people across the country and across the state that have similar interests and similar values. Can you kind of talk about how you've made friendships through this and just what that's looked like?
00;10;19;00 - 00;10;38;27
Speaker 3
I mean, there's friendships from the colliding friends in Florida. To my hog friends in North Carolina. But, we all share the same values. You know, it's all about farming. It's all about community. It's all about faith. It's all about family. And, we just really have the same values when it comes down to it, the farming community.
00;10;38;27 - 00;10;42;02
Speaker 3
So we want to invite everybody in and tell our story.
00;10;42;02 - 00;11;01;11
Speaker 2
Okay, so we talked a little bit about what the committee's mission is. Let's talk about some of the things that y'all do. You obviously have fusion coming up next week. I hear we have a leadership conference coming up. So kind of just give us a view of some of the activities that are coming up and then some of what y'all have already done throughout the year just for somebody who's like, oh, this sounds right for me about what those opportunities are if they get involved.
00;11;01;11 - 00;11;24;03
Speaker 1
So fusion is American Farm Bureau conference. It involves women and women and egg ag in the classroom and wife. And so it brings all of us together to try to work together, do the same projects, you know, communicate. So that's in Denver and I think we have close to 30 going total. So, is it crowd and a good conference for that?
00;11;24;05 - 00;11;47;17
Speaker 1
The women also put on a women's leadership conference every spring. This year will be held in conjunction with the McDaniel Leadership Conference. So we'll have, board member presidents meeting in the morning, and then we'll, have lunch and do some tours out in the Ponchatoula area. We have a dairy and dairy, a tea farm. We'll going to Cubby Rice.
00;11;47;20 - 00;12;08;12
Speaker 1
So it should be. And then speakers on Saturday morning. So everyone's invited young, old. So we're hoping to have a good conference out in particular. We also, contribute to Ronald McDonald houses, throughout the year. It's also American Farm Bureau, project. But, in the past, we've been able to visit our Ronald McDonald.
00;12;08;12 - 00;12;30;23
Speaker 1
So since Covid, we really haven't been back here and but we donate food items. Sometimes you can't go in and cook that. We're hoping to do this this spring, but, just depends on the house. And then we contribute to the veterans home. So every, farm, there's veterans homes throughout the state and we will make monetary contributions.
00;12;30;23 - 00;12;39;09
Speaker 1
Toiletries, coffee, bingo, play bingo. It's just different varieties for whatever. Which house? We're going go to the veterans. Yeah.
00;12;39;09 - 00;12;48;18
Speaker 2
That's awesome. They are doing a good job of definitely reaching out into different groups and making sure that missions gets out of that echo chamber and are spreading the word about what y'all do and providing.
00;12;48;18 - 00;13;01;21
Speaker 1
And we're fixing to have a meeting out in Lake Charles and, for our next meeting. And we're it's Deer and AG Week on the 19th. So we'll be reading, the new ag book, to a school out there in that area. Oh, that's that's awesome.
00;13;01;21 - 00;13;02;06
Speaker 2
That's really just.
00;13;02;06 - 00;13;02;27
Speaker 1
Got off campus.
00;13;03;00 - 00;13;25;17
Speaker 2
That's awesome. Look, I haven't even seen that update. So the live update here for the podcast here is exclusive. Let's talk about if somebody is watching this and they just heard what you described and like that's something I'm super interested in. What can they do to get involved. What what's the next step? If they're like, I want to be involved in the Women's Leadership Committee and tell the story of Aggie just like them.
00;13;25;19 - 00;13;44;22
Speaker 1
Well, they can contact me. They can contact any of our committee members, but they can contact their local Farm Bureau office. There's parish president, there are secretaries there and a women's chair. And to say, what can I do to get involved? A lot of women's committees, we're having ag day in assumption Parish in about two weeks.
00;13;44;24 - 00;14;04;09
Speaker 1
And all of our committee, not all, but most of our committee members will, you know, participate, work our Farm Bureau booth and then, we, help for H and FFA. We do some community projects together with them. So every parish has different levels of what they contribute to. So it's really goes back to your parish level.
00;14;04;09 - 00;14;06;08
Speaker 1
And then you can move up on to the state committee.
00;14;06;11 - 00;14;24;16
Speaker 2
Yeah. And we'll be sure to link all of those parish offices and contacts. So if anybody is interested they can easily find that here. I kind of want to transition a little bit back into just we kind of started this with it's National Women's History Month. That's, a big thing in AG because women are not the majority there, and sometimes they're seeing lesser than.
00;14;24;22 - 00;14;31;09
Speaker 2
What do you think it means to be a woman in the ag industry these days, or what does that mean to you?
00;14;31;13 - 00;14;58;09
Speaker 1
I mean, I think it's gotten a lot more prevalent than it was, you know, when we first started, because there really were no women and there were no women telling their stories. So along with all the opportunities we've got, you know, for media and everything, we are able to tell our stories. And there's a lot more women in AG, you know, there's few that even run their own farms, you know, and, I think it's a great opportunity for women and I hope everybody steps up and takes that opportunity.
00;14;58;11 - 00;15;12;28
Speaker 2
Is there anything else that we haven't touched on today or that you want to talk more about and just about the Women's Leadership Committee, upcoming events, Farm Bureau, any women's history? We've talked about a lot of range of different topics, but.
00;15;12;28 - 00;15;37;19
Speaker 1
know, I just want to take the opportunity to invite any and all women, you know, whether you're an egg, whether you work at the feed store, whether you work the sugar mill. You know, there's a lot of people connected to egg, you know, in the chemical industry, fertilize or whatever. You know, just to take the opportunity, get, you know, ask somebody, get invited to, you know, women's committee meeting in your parish and, start there.
00;15;37;21 - 00;15;46;19
Speaker 2
Awesome. Well, I appreciate you taking the time to sit with us. And all the things we mentioned, we'll be sure to link on in our podcast description. But thanks so much for visiting with us on social media.
00;15;46;19 - 00;15;48;26
Speaker 1
Thank you. Yeah, thank you for coming out to be all right.
00;15;49;00 - 00;15;50;06
Speaker 2
Of course. It's a beautiful.