(09/28/18) CROWLEY, La. — The newly appointed members of the Louisiana Rice Research and Louisiana Rice Promotion boards took the oath of office on Sept. 24.

They were selected by Gov. John Bel Edwards to serve four-year terms.

Both boards met at the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station and were sworn in by Acadia Parish Clerk of Court Robert Barousse.

The promotion board members are Joshua Andrus, of Kaplan; Paul Zaunbrecher, of Rayne; Kent Brown, of Jennings; Michelle Ribera for agriculture commissioner Mike Strain; Tommy Faulk, of Crowley; Christian Richard, of Kaplan; Kane Fontenot, of Mamou; Mark Pousson, of Iowa; Buster Hardee, of Kaplan; John Owen, of Rayville; and Paul Johnson, of Welsh.

The promotion board chose Owen as chairman, Johnson as vice chair and Faulk as secretary-treasurer.

Research board members are Damian Bollich, of Jones; Jason Waller, of Mer Rouge; John Denison, of Lake Charles; Jeffrey Sylvester, of Ville Platte; Jude Doise, of Welsh; Benjy Rayburn for Strain; John Earles, of Bunkie; Eric Savant, of Kinder; Richard Fontenot, of Ville Platte; Sammy Noel, of Abbeville; Kim Frey, of Eunice; Jerry Leonards, of Rayne; Dane Hebert, of Maurice; Alan Lawson, of Crowley; and David LaCour, of Abbeville.

Richard Fontenot was chosen as chairman of the research board. Hebert was selected as vice chair and Denison as secretary-treasurer.

The research board will meet again at the Rice Research Station on Nov. 1 to hear research project funding proposals.

Louisiana Rice Promotion Board members chosen by Gov. John Bel Edwards take the oath of office on Sept. 24. They will serve four-year terms. Shown in the photo are, from left, Board Chairman John Owen, of Rayville; Paul Johnson, of Welsh; Buster Hardee, of Vermilion Parish; Paul Zaunbrecher, of Rayne; Christian Richard, of Indian Bayou; Tommy Faulk, of Crowley; and Kane Fontenot, of Mamou. Also taking the oath were Joshua Andrus, of Kaplan; Kent Brown, of Jennings; Michelle Ribera for agriculture commissioner Mike Strain; and Mark Pousson, of Iowa.

Louisiana Rice Research Board members take the oath of office on Sept. 24 for their new four-year terms. They were named to the board by Gov. John Bel Edwards. From left to right are Jeffery Sylvester, of Ville Platte; Sammy Noel, of Abbeville; David LaCour, of Abbeville; Dane Hebert, of Maurice; and Benjy Rayburn for agriculture commissioner Mike Strain. Also on the board are Damian Bollich, of Jones; John Denison, of Lake Charles; Jude Doise, of Welsh; Richard Fontenot, of Ville Platte; Kim Frey, of Eunice; Alan Lawson, of Crowley; Jerry Leonards, of Rayne; Sammy Noel, of Abbeville; Eric Savant, of Kinder; and Jason Waller, of Mer Rouge.

Louisiana Rice Research Board members taking the oath of office for new four-year terms on Sept. 24 are, left to right, John Earles, of Bunkie; John Denison, of Lake Charles; Eric Savant, of Kinder; Jerry Leonards, of Rayne; and Kim Frey, of Eunice. Also on the board are Damian Bollich, of Jones; Jude Doise, of Welsh; Richard Fontenot, of Ville Platte; Dane Hebert, of Maurice; David LaCour, of Abbeville; Alan Lawson, of Crowley; Sammy Noel, of Abbeville; Jeffery Sylvester, of Ville Platte; Jason Waller, of Mer Rouge; and Benjy Rayburn for agriculture commissioner Mike Strain.