Farmer finds fears over carbon capture unwarranted

I’ve spent my life working the land in rural Louisiana, and I’ve seen what happens when farms struggle and communities begin to slip away. 

As a farmer, landowner, chairman of the Lafayette Economic Development Authority, and someone who has served for more than a decade as a commissioner while advocating for agriculture and rural communities at both the state and federal levels, I don’t have the luxury of looking at these issues from a distance. 

That’s why I don’t rely on Facebook rumors to make decisions about my land. I do my own research. And when it comes to carbon capture, what I’ve found doesn’t match the fear being pushed online. 

My perspective comes from living it. My family has seen the highs and lows of farming, and years ago, we made the decision to allow pipelines on our land. When rice hit hard times, that income helped keep our operation going and helped us hold onto the thousands of acres my grandfather built. That’s why it bothers me when people who don’t work the land think they know better than the people who own it. 

That’s the reality of rural Louisiana. Farming isn’t easy, and it’s not getting easier. 

Sugar prices have dropped roughly 20% in the last couple of years, from around 41 cents to about 34 cents, while costs keep climbing. Sugar and crawfish may still work for some, but grain, corn and soybean farmers are struggling. A lot of people have lost sight of that. Rural communities are feeling it. Some are slowly disappearing. 

I’m a firm believer in protecting private property rights. Nobody should be forced into something they don’t want on their land. But property rights go both ways. If a landowner wants to pursue an opportunity that helps keep a farm going, creates stability for their family or brings new income into a struggling rural community, they shouldn’t be punished or blocked because of a lack of access or because somebody else thinks they know what’s best for their property. 

So when an opportunity comes along that can help landowners, keep farms going and bring something positive back into rural communities, I’m going to take a serious look at it. That’s what carbon capture represents to me. Not just for one person, but for neighbors, families and the local economy. 

Despite what some folks are saying online, common sense and the facts tell me carbon capture is safe and proven. As farmers, we tend to look at things through a practical lens. There’s already carbon in the soil we work every day, sugarcane captures it, plants rely on it, and CO₂ is all around us.

Louisiana has safely lived alongside pipelines for generations, and today’s technology is stronger and safer than ever. CO₂ isn’t explosive. It’s in fire extinguishers and even sparkling water. Safety should always come first, but there’s a big difference between asking honest questions and stirring up fear. 

What’s disappointed me most is seeing how much of this fear is being pushed by people outside Louisiana with money and agendas of their own. You’ve got leftist billionaires and even foreign interests helping stir the pot while folks here are just trying to make a living. I worry enough about China buying up American farmland. We ought to think hard before letting outside voices shape what happens on our land. 

Louisiana families have lived alongside pipelines for generations. Many of us willingly signed agreements because they helped keep farms alive during hard times. My family did. So if we’ve safely lived with oil and gas pipelines for decades, why is carbon capture suddenly treated so differently? 

At the end of the day, this comes down to something bigger. I want my kids to have a reason to stay here. I want them, and the next generation of Louisiana families, to see a future that includes good jobs, successful careers, and real opportunities close to home. 

Every chance we get to move forward, we must take a swing because opportunities like this don’t come around often. 

I’m not asking everyone to agree. I’m asking that we use common sense. Do the research. And most importantly, trust the people who actually live and work this land to make the decisions that are best for their farms, their property and their families. This land is ours, and taking away a willing landowner’s right to pursue opportunity is unAmerican. 

This is not a political issue. It’s the economic future of Louisiana. The opportunity in front of us is enormous for farmers, families and rural communities that are desperate for reasons to keep going. We can ask hard questions and still move forward. But letting fear and Facebook rumors hold Louisiana back when so much is at stake would be a mistake we regret for generations.