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SMOKE & MIRRORS
MIRRORSMIRR Louisiana Dept. of Agriculture and
If you've been to the
Louisiana Department of
Agriculture and Forestry's
website lately, you may have
noticed a blurb near the
bottom. It says, From the
Commissioner, “For
Louisiana to maintain a
leading position,, we must
surpass existing standards of
agriculture and forestry
achievement and seek
additional opportunities for
growth and prosperity.”
Mike would have us think
that promoting Louisiana's
agriculture and forestry
industry is his mission in life.
But, let's take a look at his
actions.
Forestry
Deceiving the public
Almost immediately after
his administration moved
into the Department
headquarters on Florida
Blvd., the systematic
dismantling of an efficient
and effective state agency
began.
At first, the equipment
that Commissioner Odom
used to eradicate the boll
weevil from the southern
cotton crop soon hit the
auction block. Then teams
of Mike's elitist cronies,
secure in the authority of
their new highly paid
positions, began visiting
the Department's outlying
districts.
Armed with clipboards,
they compiled a list of public 3
property they deemed
unnecessary for the function
of these facilities and
gathered this equipment for
public auction.
Instead of absorbing loyal boll
weevil workers into other
departments as natural
attrition occurred, as Bob
Odom often did when he was
Commissioner. Mike and his
minions promptly dismissed
these unfortunate people.
But Mike would have us
believe that he has nothing
but the best intentions for the
people of Louisiana and the
Department he and his elitist
cronies control.
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If Mike wanted to promote
agriculture in Louisiana, then
why did he close the state-run
nurseries?
I'll tell you why, because they
were ripe with the kind of farm
equipment and machinery easy
to turn into cash at his favorite
auction house.
It didn't matter to Mike and his
band of thugs that the state
nurseries provided the rootstock
to replant millions of acres of
timberlands in our state.
Did he care that eliminating the
orchards would set back the
development of private growers?
No!
These individual farms used
rootstock provided by the
Department to develop new and
LDAF: Drastic decline under Strain Administration
Mike Strain looks down from his
airplane on the vast richness of
Louisiana’s Agriculture and
Timberland.
better varieties that kept
Louisiana competitive on the
world markets. Growers like
Bonnie Blue Farms & Nursery
were developing an apple
variety that would grow in
Louisiana. They depended on
rootstock from the Department
nurseries for their research.
LDAF impact on Bonnie Blue
Farms
Did Mike consider the small tree
planters that needed the Oberlin
Nursery for a steady supply of For Louisiana to maintain
young trees to reforest our a leading position, we must
timberlands? No!
surpass existing standards
He and his people focused on of agriculture and forestry
liquidating as much taxpayer achievement and seek
property as possible. additional opportunities for
growth and prosperity.
Did Mike consider the impact on
the local economies where these Mike Strain
nurseries operated? No!
Shortly after Strain took office massive amounts of
public property were seized and transported to his
favorite auction house for sale at pennies on the
dollar.
What once were eight forestry districts have now
been reduced to only two. The personnel needed to
provide forestry management services to the small
landholder and vital services in food health and
weights and measures has been seriously
compromised by his draconian cuts.
Many loyal state employees lost their jobs while he
and his cronies with six figure salaries and do-
nothing positions thrived through the rough days of
the Jindal Administration.
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If you’re looking for seedlings, Mike posts a list
of nurseries for your convenience on the
Department website. Most of these are out-of-
state. Other states used to look to Louisiana to
supply them with seasonal seedlings.
Our nurseries were once involved in the research and
development of fast-growing disease-resistant tree
varieties. So, much for that, down the Strain drain!
Is Mike concerned with protecting our forestlands?
No!
If he were why did he lay off almost half of the fire
detection staff, close a strategically placed
maintenance facility, and cripple the Office of
Forestry? Reducing it to where it can barely
function.
A review of the Department website tends to
assure the public that all is well with the
agency but it’s all smoke and mirrors. Mike
wants the Louisiana taxpayers to be placated
and think that things are great. But he has
built a house of cards that will surely tumble
when resources are badly needed.
Mike is inaccessible and hides behind a
gauntlet of cronies that vet those who want an
audience with him. When visiting the
Department headquarters you must pass
armed guards and metal detectors, something
absent during Commissioner Odom’s tenure.
What is Mike scared of?
Now we have the opportunity to teach him
and his minions some humility.

Well, that indeed freed up some high priced state On October 12th go to the polls and vote
property that he could send to his favorite auction number 23, Charlie Greer for Commissioner of
house. This was public property that sold for about Agriculture and Forestry. Charlie has the
half of its value on the open market. experience and leadership skills to rebuild the
Department that Mike Strain destroyed.
The only thing Mike Strain has done for the
Department is to use it to enrich himself and his Chip Knowles
political cronies. He has repeatedly balanced his
budget on the backs of state employees while he and
his fat cat cronies continued to dismantle the
Department and live their lavish lifestyles.

When he could have saved jobs by using his power

to furlough, he opted to turn out as many loyal civil
servants as he could and still have enough to operate.
His cronies in do-nothing jobs that were making four
times the average worker's wages kept their cushy
positions. But workers stressed by coping with his
draconian cuts are now burdened by the added
duties of their laid-off coworkers.

But Mike has become comfortable as the incumbent.

He even planned a victory party. VICTORY PARTY
His arrogance knows no bounds. The votes haven't
yet been counted, and he's sure of his win. Does he
know something we don't?

The ticket says, "Sponsorships encouraged.” I

suppose that's a message to those owing him political
favors that it's time to pay-up, and for a hefty price
too.