EP Farm Bureau Queen LX Kaitlyn LeJeune to relinquish title

As the 60th Evangeline Parish Farm Bureau Queen, Kaitlyn LeJeune has enjoyed a two-year reign after being reinstated at the end of her reign in 2013. She was crowned in March 2012, and has traveled many miles and attended many festivals and events to spread the word of the importance of agriculture and farming to our society.
LeJeune’s grandfather, Mike Fontenot, is a farmer in Chataignier and after encouragement from her aunt, she decided to enter her first pageant to represent the farming industry. As queen, LeJeune said her knowledge of what her grandfather did for a living was broadened, and she admits she never grasped the concept until she learned so much through her title.
The 20-year-old beauty is a 2012 graduate of Church Point High School and is currently attending the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, where she is pursuing a degree in environmental science with a focus on soil and water. Her hobbies include reading, playing the piano, cooking and baking and spending time with her family and friends.
During her reign, she represented her title to the fullest by visiting 63 classes in Chataignier, Richard and Ville Platte with local farmers to discuss the importance of farming and agriculture to the leaders of tomorrow. A highlight of her reign, she says, was seeing the children’s faces light up with knowledge when learning of the importance of farmers to the community and nation. She also visited with local farmers to learn from their experiences in farming and their thoughts on the future of agriculture.
As queen, LeJeune also attended the state Farm Bureau convention in New Orleans and placed in the top 10 in the state pageant both times. Another highlight of her reign was attending the Armed Forces Queen’s Day Pageant, in Lake Charles, where she and the other girls were allowed to tour and play laser tag on the docked USS Orleck.
However, the best experience of her reign was her visit to the Delta Research and Extension Center (DREC) in Stoneville, Mississippi. She says during her visit, “I was able to talk to some of their esteemed faculty and staff that work hands on with different aspects of agricultural study and experiments to better the future of agriculture.” She adds, “The agricultural center is very important because it is one of the only in our nation, and is competing for the top position. A lot of their research has enabled some of our local farmers to pursue different methods of agriculture better suited for their region.” Her tour of the facility was hosted by Dr. Ted Miller, a retired and former contributing writer for the Delta Farm Press, Rice Farming and Delta Agricultural Digest. Rebecca Ray, public relations editor for the experiment station, guided them through the various research areas accessible to the public. The DREC focuses its research and extension activities on cotton, rice, soybean, corn and catfish production with scientists and extension specialists working cooperatively to solve crop and aquaculture problems and transfer new information and technology to area producers. In addition, LeJeune visited Lauren Farms, which was founded in 1995 as a pioneer with Mississippi State University for the hatching and growing of fresh water prawns.
To her successor, LeJeune says, “Don’t think [the title] is about the crown and banner. It is about the hands that feed the nation. Without them, where would we be today?”
LeJeune thanks the Evangeline Parish Farm Bureau Women’s Committee for allowing her to be reinstated for a second year so that she could continue doing the work she knew she was capable of, as well as their support during her reign. She thanks her mom and grandmother for traveling with her and taking photos of her adventures. She also thanks the farmers and ranchers for doing what they do on a daily basis.
LeJeune will crown her successor Sunday afternoon, March 9, following the Evangeline Parish Farm Bureau’s annual meeting.