DVM to become Louisiana commissioner of agriculture

BATON ROUGE, LA. — State Rep. Mike Strain will become Louisiana's agriculture and forestry commissioner on Jan. 14.

The DVM-turned-politician landed the job when Bob Odom, who held the position 28 years, withdrew his re-election bid in the Nov. 17 runoff election. Strain earlier had run a close second to Odom in the primary. A seven-year state lawmaker who serves on the House Agriculture Committee, Strain ran on a reform platform of bolstering agriculture programs. He was author of one of the state's bills to outlaw cockfighting. He will be the state's first Republican commissioner.

"Today we end the campaign and beat the political swords back into plowshares," Strain said at a news conference when Odom left the race.