Earl Fontenot honored for 47 years of service to SWCD

Former long-time chairman of the Evangeline Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), Earl Fontenot, Jr., recently stepped down from the Soil and Water Conservation District Board after 47 years with that organization.
A large group of people, including state and federal government officials, attended a reception in his honor at the LSU AgCenter in Ville Platte on Wednesday, March 19.
Fontenot, a charter member of the Evangeline SWCD, began serving on the conservation board in February 1967 and became chairman 10 years later. He served as chairman for 27 years. Jim Shipp, Jr. followed him as chairman of the board. Fontenot served on the State Committee of the Office of Soil Water during the early to mid 1980s. His father had served on the Grand Coteau Ridge Soil and Water Conservation District, which covered four parishes before that district was divided.
Fontenot was instrumental, working with the Evangeline Parish Police Jury and the Soil Conservation Service, in the development of several watershed projects for flood prevention, watershed protection, agricultural water management, and recreation. He helped play a key role in the development of the Crooked Creek recreational area.
He worked with -- and was well liked by -- local, parish, state and federal officials and agencies as he worked tirelessly to promote needed conservation and drainage projects in Evangeline Parish.
He was and still is a very passionate believer in educating the youth of the parish in conservation.
Two of his seven children are involved in farming of sweet potatoes, soybeans, grain sorghum, and beef cattle. Fontenot owns a sweet potato plant east of Ville Platte in the Faubourg community.