Vail Farm in Louisiana: History, What It Raises, How It Makes Money and How to Contact It
Profile updated November 2026
Vail Farm south of Lake Charles raises rice and cattle on 2,000 acres. Brandon and Danielle Vail run it, and Danielle was named the 2020 Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Outstanding Young Farm Woman, according to McNeese State University.
| Location | South of Lake Charles, Louisiana |
|---|---|
| Founded | Not published |
| Sectors | rice; cattle |
| Scale | 2,000 acres (McNeese State University) |
| Why it is elite | 2020 Louisiana Farm Bureau Outstanding Young Farm Woman award |
| Ownership | Brandon and Danielle Vail |
| Official website | McNeese State University award story |
History of Vail Farm
Danielle Vail earned an agricultural sciences degree in 2010 and a master's degree in 2012 at McNeese State University. Her husband Brandon, a 2007 agricultural sciences graduate, co-owns and manages the farm.
The farm was recognized when Danielle won the 2020 Louisiana Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Outstanding Young Farm Woman award.
What Vail Farm Grows and Raises
The farm raises rice and cattle on 2,000 acres. Rice and cattle fit together in southwest Louisiana, where fields can be rice in one season and grazing in another.
Brandon manages the farm while Danielle's education and Farm Bureau work add leadership.
How Vail Farm Makes Money
Rice
Rice is sold to mills.
Cattle
Cattle add a second income stream that uses grass and fallow ground.
Education and leadership
Degrees and Farm Bureau roles support management and advocacy.
Farm Insight: What Other Operators Can Learn from Vail Farm
The Vails show how formal agricultural education can strengthen a farm business.
Pairing rice and cattle spreads risk across two markets.
Rice in the summer and cattle in the pasture means the Vail fields never really get to take a day off. At farm.FM our farm satire fans respect a farm run by two McNeese graduates who clearly paid attention in class. Our farm humor staff suspects the cattle appreciate the education, and the ranch humor and farm jokes about south Lake Charles humidity are always accepted.
farm.FM, the nation's first satirical farm site, also runs Tractor Tunes, a country music lineup for farmers. For a sample of the writing, try the archive of one of its staff humorists.
How to Contact Vail Farm
Website: https://www.mcneese.edu/state-award-recognizes-mcneese-farmer/
No official farm website was found. This is a public university news story; contact the Calcasieu Parish LSU AgCenter office for introductions.
Vail Farm Sources and Agriculture Authority Links
- McNeese State University story - Award coverage of Danielle Vail
- USDA NASS Louisiana Census of Agriculture - State farm counts, land and sales from the 2022 Census
- Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry - State Century Farm Program
- LSU AgCenter Faces of Louisiana Agriculture - Extension profiles of Louisiana farmers
- Louisiana Farm Bureau news - Young Farmers and Ranchers award coverage
Vail Farm FAQ
What does Vail Farm raise?
Rice and cattle.
How big is it?
2,000 acres per McNeese State University.
What award was won?
The 2020 Louisiana Farm Bureau Outstanding Young Farm Woman.
How do I contact the farm?
No farm website was found; start with the Calcasieu Parish LSU AgCenter office.
Vail Farm shows how a young couple can build a rice and cattle business on education and leadership. Read the Louisiana farms guide and other profiles for more.