“I Want To Be a Fearless, Relentless, and Unapologetic Advocate for Agriculture”
April 06, 2022
Meet LSU student William Gaspard Jr.
From Moreauville, a small town about an hour southeast of Alexandria, LSU student William Gaspard Jr. is in his third year in the agricultural and extension education and evaluation program, yet already a senior. By taking two full semesters of college courses at LSU of Alexandria while still in high school at the Louisiana School for the Agricultural Sciences in Bunkie, Gaspard put himself on the fast track. He will graduate this May and start law school this fall.
Gaspard’s dream is to advocate for farmers, something he’s already doing. By making sure farmers are heard and their needs met, he ultimately wants to protect America’s food supply and make sure the world’s growing population—expected to reach 9 billion by 2050—have enough to eat.
“We’re all so concerned about our food, yet so disconnected from farms and farming,” Gaspard said. “That’s why I want to be a fearless, relentless, and unapologetic advocate for agriculture.”
Knowing that our food security depends on the productivity of our farms and farmers, William Gaspard, Jr., agricultural and extension education major, wants to be an advocate for agriculture, which currently supports $11.2 billion of Louisiana’s economy.
– LSU
“William Gaspard is helping us get the word out about the importance of agriculture to everyone. Agriculture is the backbone of the United States. Having a strong military and infrastructure is important, but if you can’t feed your people, you become weak. America is as strong as its agriculture, and I appreciate fine young students like William getting involved, getting out there, working hard, and motivating others to make a difference.”
Robin Moreau, beef cattle farmer in Hessmer, Louisiana