VEDA welcomes U.S. Sen. Kennedy Congressional staffers for Vermilion Parish tour

Vermilion Parish is known for its fresh seafood, bountiful agriculture, great geographical access via roads and waterways, and rich history of cultural and eco-tourism.
All of these parish assets were exhibited recently as Vermilion Economic Development Alliance (VEDA) welcomed six congressional staffers from the office of United States Senator John Kennedy’s office to Louisiana for a Vermilion Parish industry tour. VEDA Program Administrator, Victoria Bourque, led the parish tour alongside Mark Shirley of Louisiana Sea Grant and LSU AgCenter.
The objective of this educational and immersive tour was to provide a solid foundation of understanding for Vermilion Parish, the fundamentals of local industries, the relationship between business and culture, and how the unique location and natural resources shape the economic impact of local well-known industries. In order to successfully relay these introductory components of the parish, the congressional staffers were given a firsthand look into Vermilion industries and methods in which business owners have taken to address issues, both successfully and ongoing challenges.
The trip began with an up-close view of operations at the McLain Farms rice bins. Local rice farmer and Louisiana Farm Bureau board member, Allen McLain, Jr., introduced the farming industry of south Louisiana and provided insight into shipping rice from the storage bins of the local farmer to production mills.
Following the rice bins was another agriculture-related facility, the Vermilion Gator Farm. Kevin Sagrera gave an overview of the alligator industry and associated benefits of conservation management and discussed the critical importance of the parish’s wetlands and natural resources.
While in the southern portion of the parish, the congressional staffers met with Joseph Doan of Intracoastal Seafood Dock to learn about the state of the shrimping industry, federal assistance on seafood import regulations and policies, and current impacts to the fishing livelihood.
The group then traveled 34 miles northwest to Kaplan for a perfectly boiled and seasoned lunch at Crawfish Haven and Mrs. Rose’s Bed & Breakfast, complete with crawfish peeling lessons and a variety of meaningful discussions with area elected officials and parish entities. After introductions and welcome from Kaplan Mayor Mike Kloesel, the congressional staffers heard key emphasis on areas of success and concern from Vermilion Parish Police Jury President Jason Picard and Parish Administrator Keith Roy, Abbeville Mayor Roslyn White, Delcambre Mayor Pam Blakely, Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission Executive Director Alison Miller, and Vermilion Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Lynn Guillory. Owner of Crawfish Haven and Mrs. Rose’s Bed & Breakfast, Barry Toups, entertained the staffers with the intriguing story of his eco-tourism agribusiness and award-winning accommodations, as well as an exciting introduction to the coming Acadiana Regional Seafood Hub.
The tour then continued 23 miles east for a look into shrimp processing at Gulf Crown Seafood, situated along the banks of Bayou Carlin in Delcambre. Company vice-president, Jon Floyd, led an operations presentation detailing each procedural step from the moment a load of shrimp arrives to the time a packaged product leaves the cooler. The innovative technology used for processing exhibited efficient advancements while keeping the Gulf product in pristine condition.
The day concluded at the Abbeville Chris Crusta Memorial Airport with Troy Theriot of Vector Aviation who introduced aviation operations, overviewed the flight school’s programming, and discussed the collaboration opportunities between business, industry and the airport. As the final stop of tour, made possible with a bus courtesy of Vermilion Parish School Board, the congressional staffers toured the Louisiana Military Museum in Abbeville.
Throughout the entire event duration, emphasis on key economic driver industries included rural, coastal agriculture, seafood and fisheries, and homegrown businesses. From these points came discussions on insurance and risk ratings, coastal protection and restoration, workforce and employment needs, specific industry issues and challenges, as well as federal attention needs and funding.
As the local economic development entity, VEDA continues to work on behalf of the industries and businesses of Vermilion Parish by bringing current, local issues to the attention of our federal delegation for outreach and policy assistance to address business needs. Vermilion Parish’s unique and culturally-connected industries play a vital role in not only providing for the state and nation, but also supporting our workforce and the livelihoods of local citizens that depend on these industries. Being a coastal parish that is large and diverse with wandering bayous and farmlands, authentic local cuisine, family-friendly festivals and Cajun towns connecting it all, it is imperative to retain the special attributes that set this parish apart while leveraging the value Vermilion contributes, identifying new opportunities and keeping our talent local while moving forward, together.