MICHAEL DANNA, Host

Michael Danna is director of public relations and host of the Farm Bureau’s long-running farm news program “This Week in Louisiana Agriculture.”  Prior to joining Farm Bureau he was a governmental reporter and political writer for the News Star newspaper in Monroe, La.  Mike began his Farm Bureau career in 1985 when he was named editor of the Louisiana Farm Bureau News.  

In bringing his viewers timely agricultural news, Mike has reported on ag issues from around the country and around the world.  From China to South America, from the Midwest to the Middle East, Mike has been telling agriculture's story for more than a quarter of a century. 

In addition to his television reporting Mike is a contributing writer to numerous news and farm publications, including the Baton Rouge Advocate, Mid-South Farmer and Progressive Farmer magazines. In 2001 the Baton Rouge Advertising Federation named Mike communications manager of the year.  In 2008 he was named marketer of the year by the Baton Rouge Chapter of the Sales and Marketing Executives International. 

Mike holds a BA in journalism from Louisiana State University and is a 2004 graduate of the LSU AgCenter’s Agricultural Leadership Development Program.  “There is nothing more important than the production of food and fiber,” he says.  “Working with farmers to bring that message to our viewers is the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done.”  

Mike is an avid photographer, bird hunter and golfer.  He lives in Wakefield, La., in West Feliciana Parish, with his two children, Chase and Taylor.

AVERY DAVIDSON
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER and REPORTER
(Reporting on Hurricane Gustav in 2008)

Avery began his career in broadcast journalism the day after he graduated from New Iberia Senior High, landing a job at his hometown radio station, 1240 KANE.

While at KANE, Avery covered city and parish governmental meetings, schools and, of course, sugarcane farming.  While attending The University of Southwestern Louisiana (Now ULL), Avery made the move into television.  In September 1995, KATC News hired Avery as the producer of TV-3’s morning show, Good Morning Acadiana. It was there that Avery first worked with TWILA veteran A.J. Sabine.

While at KATC, Avery won his first Louisiana Associated Press award: 2nd place for spot news.  In April of 1999, Avery moved to Baton Rouge to work for WAFB-TV 9 as the weekend and investigative producer.

Following the September 11th attacks, Avery was the first and only reporter to travel with a group of Louisiana volunteers called the Gumbo Krewe to Ground Zero. There, Avery documented how Cajun hospitality extended well beyond the Bayou State.  It was that series, Operation: Gumbo, which won Avery his first 1st place award from the Louisiana Associated Press for an In-Depth Series.

In January of 2004, Avery became the first Louisiana reporter to cover the war in Iraq from Baghdad.  Avery traveled to the Middle East with a group of Louisiana medics who worked for Med Express out of Alexandria.  Their job was to set up and operate an urgent care clinic for
the contractors working at the “safe-zone” around Baghdad International Airport.  Coverage of that story earned Avery another award from the Louisiana Associated Press: 3rd Place for an In-Depth Series.

During the following years, Avery worked his way up to weekend anchor at WAFB.  In March 2008, Avery began working for This Week in Louisiana Agriculture as a reporter and executive producer.   “It’s the people who make a story great,” Avery says, “And agriculture is blessed with lots of great people with wonderful stories to tell.”

In his spare time, Avery plays bass guitar in a local band and enjoys watching live music.

MELANIE OHMES
HOMEGROWN REPORTER
(Reporting on Slap Ya Mama Seasonings
in Ville Platte, LA in 2009)

Melanie began her career with Farm Bureau in the summer of 2007.

A lifelong resident of Louisiana, Melanie was born in St. Mary Parish, raised in Iberville Parish and now resides in Ascension Parish.

"My grandfather was a sugarcane farmer in White Castle," she says,
"I can’t imagine living anywhere
else.  My entire family lives in Louisiana and we're proud to call it home.”

Melanie earned a degree in Marketing with a concentration in Public Relations and Advertising
from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, LA.  While working her way through college, Melanie has held positions in media which include: Sales & Marketing Assist. in cable advertising, Traffic Manager for a full service advertising agency and Marketing & Public Relations Administrator for a local Chamber of Commerce.

In her spare time, Melanie enjoys visiting with friends, spending time with her family and working in her flower gardens.

VALERIE FOMAN
GRAPHIC ARTIST and REPORTER

Valerie Foman is the Creative Director and Webmaster for the Louisiana Farm Bureau.  She has been with TWILA since January 2009. 

Valerie began her career in design, public relations and advertising at the Louisiana TIMED Managers Program as Visual Communications Specialist for Parsons Brinckerhoff, a global civil engineering firm.  There she planned, managed and executed public outreach campaigns.

She has a Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication with a focus in advertising from LSU's Manship School.  She and her husband, Jonathan live in Baton Rouge.  She is a native of Luling and enjoys painting and drawing in her free time.

ALLISON SABINE
ASSISTANT PRODUCER and REPORTER
(Reporting from Washington, D.C. in 2009)

A.J. Sabine has been on the air for nearly 20 years.  A New Orleans native, A.J. got his first “on air” break as a country music DJ on KXKC radio in New Iberia.  Simultaneously, A.J. worked on the “Good Morning Acadiana” show at the ABC affiliate, KATC TV 3 in Lafayette, all while getting his undergraduate degree from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

From there, A.J. started telling the story of the people of Acadiana through the lens of his video camera as a news photographer at KATC. A.J.’s passion for news took him to the Midlands of South Carolina at NBC affiliate WIS-TV.  At WIS, A.J. literally “spread his wings” as an airborne traffic reporter and photographer on the WIS NewsHawk helicopter. 

While in the Palmetto State, A.J.
covered major news events, including the 2000 Presidential Primaries, to the historic removal
of the Confederate flag from the South Carolina State House, and the remarkable raising of the Civil War submarine, C.S.S. H.L. Hunley.

In 2002, A.J. came home to WAFB-TV 9 in Baton Rouge, as a general assignments reporter and photographer.  It wasn’t long before he got the call of agriculture and brought his storytelling experience to the turn rows and open vistas of rural Louisiana. 

“It’s important to give agriculture a fresh perspective,” he says. “Farming affects us all and if I can tell the story in an interesting and entertaining way, it may give someone an appreciation of what producers are up against.”

When he’s not covering farm news, A.J. loves spending time with his family, cruising the interstate on his Harley, and dabbling in community theatre as an actor at the Baton Rouge Little Theatre.

NEIL MELANCON
THE BOTTOM LINE REPORTER

Neil Melancon is the General Manager of the Louisiana Farm Bureau Radio Network.

Neil has been with Farm Bureau since 1996 and has served in a variety of public relation functions, including webmaster, TWILA producer and writer.

In 2003, Neil was the first reporter from TWILA to travel abroad, reporting from Japan on the status of rice trade between the two countries.

In 2005, Neil was recognized by the National Association of Farm Broadcasters  for his efforts in covering the aftermaths of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Neil holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Louisiana Tech and a Master's of Mass Communication from LSU.  He is married to wife, Sherry, a biologist, and they reside in Baton Rouge.

Neil is a native of New Orleans and in his spare time runs a martial arts studio.

KRISTEN OAKS
AG MINUTE REPORTER
(Reporting from Sarasota, FL in 2010)

For as long as she could remember, Kristen Oaks had a passion for two things in life: agriculture and broadcasting.  It was always her goal to prove to everyone that agriculture is much more than "sows, cows and plows." 

She grew up on a ranch in Calhoun, La., and showed Angus cattle for 12 years.  In fact, her debut on TWILA was during "Beef Month" in 2004 when she served as the Louisiana Cattlemen's Association Queen. 

From those experiences with media, Kristen decided to pursue a career in broadcasting at Louisiana State University.  Her career at LSU diversified her experience through leadership roles and involvement in Tiger TV, Student Government, the College of Agriculture, Omicron Delta Kappa and her sorority Kappa Delta.

In 2009, Kristen graduated from LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communication with a BA and a minor in agriculture and leadership development.  

During the fall of 2009, Kristen traveled the state as the sideline reporter for the Cox Sports Louisiana High School Game of the Week.  In addition to her television work, she also has experience in radio broadcasting, print advertising, web design, public relations and political lobbying.

"I finally have a chance to tell the story of agriculture to everyone," Kristen says.  "This is my dream job."