HLS 16RS-5166 ORIGINAL 2016 Regular Session HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 246 BY REPRESENTATIVE COX COMMENDATIONS: Commends Roque Brothers Farm upon its one hundredth anniversary 1 A RESOLUTION 2To commend Roque Brothers Farm upon its one hundredth anniversary. 3 WHEREAS, on July 1-4, 2016, Roque Brothers Farm, LLC, will celebrate its 4centennial anniversary; and 5 WHEREAS, this 800-acre, minority-owned, beef cattle operation is located in the 6picturesque Cane River area of Natchitoches; and 7 WHEREAS, Roque Brothers Farm was founded in 1916 by Emitte and Cecile 8Roque; and 9 WHEREAS, Mr. Roque was a cotton, corn, hay, and cattle producer, and also 10operated Roque Brothers Grocery Store and used the store as a butchering operation; and 11 WHEREAS, the operation continued until 1982, when the family decided to take the 12land out of row crop production and concentrate specifically on pasture and cattle; and 13 WHEREAS, in 1993, Roque Brothers Farm added a new venture, pecan harvesting, 14which includes custom harvesting and selling pecans across the southern region of the 15United States; and 16 WHEREAS, today, the farm produces pecans, cattle, yearlings, and hay; and 17conservation of the farm's natural resources is a primary concern for the Roque family; and 18 WHEREAS, recently, the Roque family worked with the National Resources 19Conservation Service, the Farm Service Agency, and USDA Rural Development to host a 20minority farmer outreach field day on its farm; attendees heard about the farm's history and 21toured the farm to see and learn about conservation practices; and Page 1 of 2 HLS 16RS-5166 ORIGINAL HR NO. 246 1 WHEREAS, in 2012, the Roque family began making a Louisiana delicacy, Mama's 2Cane River Meat Pies, which received the best pie recognition at the 2014 Natchitoches 3Meat Pie Festival; and 4 WHEREAS, the Roque family has a love and passion for its land and heritage and 5the family-owned farm, which had its beginning 100 years ago; the family is committed to 6doing everything possible to protect and conserve the farm's natural resources for the next 7hundred years. 8 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives of the 9Legislature of Louisiana does hereby commend Roque Brothers Farm upon the celebration 10of its one hundredth anniversary and does hereby thank the Roque family for its farm 11operations and efforts to encourage land conservation, all of which have benefitted the 12people of the great state of Louisiana. 13 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a suitable copy of this Resolution be transmitted 14to the Roque family. DIGEST The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)] HR 246 Original 2016 Regular Session Cox Commends Roque Brothers Farm upon its 100th anniversary. Page 2 of 2