[Image: photo of regional director]Dr. John W. Barnett - Central Region Director
Central Louisiana is the melting pot of the state where north meets south. Most of the major commodities grown in Louisiana are found in the Central Region. Major commodities include forestry, cotton, sugarcane, nursery crops, livestock, corn, grain sorghum, rice, aquaculture, soybeans and sweet potatoes. The region is composed of nine parish extension offices, one administrative office, two research stations, the Louisiana 4-H Museum and the Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center.
Research programs the Dean Lee Research and Extension Station and the Rosepine Research Station address needs in row-crop agriculture, weed management, tillage systems, beef cattle management, bull performance testing, forages and animal nutrition.
Extension programs in agriculture, forestry, family and consumer sciences, and 4-H address the needs of all clientele. The completion of a new office complex at the Dean Lee Station has allowed the Rapides Parish extension office to be relocated to the station. In addition to the parish extension staff, five multi-parish extension agents are housed at Dean Lee along with four statewide specialists. The Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center houses 4-H camp and provides educational programs for more than 5,000 youth each year.
The state evacuation shelter is designed to safely house 3,500 evacuees and a special needs hospital and provide accommodations for 250 emergency workers. During hurricanes Gustav and Ike, four cooperating agencies with a total staff of 230 workers and 1,000 first responders were located at the shelter.
Several facilities in the Central Region have been constructed or upgraded in the past few years. More than $31 million in new construction has been accomplished during the past six years:
· New pesticide storage facility at Dean Lee Research Station.
· New entrance road for Dean Lee Station.
· New livestock show and sale complex at Dean Lee Station.
· State evacuation shelter.
· Three new extension offices – Avoyelles, Rapides, Grant parishes.
· Recreational pond and new bath house at 4-H camp.
· Louisiana 4-H Museum.
· Local support from parish government for extension educational programs also has increased from $62,282 to $234,274 during this time.
Call or come by and visit any of our research stations, extension offices, Grant Walker 4-H Educational Center or the Louisiana 4-H Museum at Mansura anytime. You are always welcome.