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'''Francis Coleman Thompson''' (born October 29, 1941) is a wealthy developer from Delhi in Richland Parish in northeastern [[Louisiana]], from which he served from 1975 to 2008 as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in the Louisiana House of Representatives. Because of state term limits, Thompson was ineligible to have sought a ninth four-year term for the House in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 20, 2007. Instead, Thompson was elected outright over two fellow Democrats to the District 34 seat in the Louisiana State Senate vacated by the also term-limited Charles Jones (born 1950) of[[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. Thompson received 13,763 votes (51 percent) to 10,937 (42 percent) for African-American State Representative Willie Hunter, Jr., of Monroe and 2,113 (8 percent) for Paxton J. Branch. Ten days after he vacated the seat to Thompson, Charles Jones was charged with two counts of making and subscribing a false federal income tax return and one count of tax evasion. Hunter alleged irregularities in the primary election against Thompson on grounds that certain Thompson supporters in heavily black East Carroll Parish distributed food packages to the poor with instructions that they should vote for Francis Thompson to maintain such assistance.

'''Francis Coleman Thompson''' (born October 29, 1941) is a wealthy developer from Delhi in Richland Parish in northeastern [[Louisiana]], from which he served from 1975 to 2008 as a [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] in the Louisiana House of Representatives.  

 

Because of state term limits, Thompson was ineligible to have sought a ninth four-year term for the House in the nonpartisan blanket primary held on October 20, 2007. Instead, Thompson was elected outright over two fellow Democrats to the District 34 seat in the Louisiana State Senate vacated by the also term-limited Charles Jones (born 1950) of[[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. Thompson received 13,763 votes (51 percent) to 10,937 (42 percent) for African-American State Representative Willie Hunter, Jr., of Monroe and 2,113 (8 percent) for Paxton J. Branch. Ten days after he vacated the seat to Thompson, Charles Jones was charged with two counts of making and subscribing a false federal income tax return and one count of tax evasion. Hunter alleged irregularities in the primary election against Thompson on grounds that certain Thompson supporters in heavily black East Carroll Parish distributed food packages to the poor with instructions that they should vote for Francis Thompson to maintain such assistance.

In addition to his own Richland Parish, Thompson's House district included all or portions of East Carroll, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, and West Carroll parishes in northeast Louisiana. His Senate district includes parts of Concordia, East Carroll, Madison, Ouachita, Richland, and Tensas parishes.

In addition to his own Richland Parish, Thompson's House district included all or portions of East Carroll, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, and West Carroll parishes in northeast Louisiana. His Senate district includes parts of Concordia, East Carroll, Madison, Ouachita, Richland, and Tensas parishes.

==Interest in agriculture==

==Interest in agriculture==

In 2000, Thompson was named chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. In 2003, he authored the "Master Farmer" program, which the legislature approved without dissent. The program was developed by the Louisiana State University Agriculture Center and sponsored by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. It is an environmental education program designed to help farmers and ranchers identify and adopt best management practices to improve water quality in lakes, streams and bayous. It involves classroom instruction, field days and implementation of farm-specific conservation plans to maximize productivity while minimizing environmental impacts. Thompson's model program has been proposed for national acceptance.

In 2000, Thompson was named chairman of the House Agriculture Committee. In 2003, he authored the "Master Farmer" program, which the legislature approved without dissent. The program was developed by the Louisiana State University Agriculture Center and sponsored by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. It is an environmental education program designed to help farmers and ranchers identify and adopt best management practices to improve water quality in lakes, streams and bayous. It involves classroom instruction, field days and implementation of farm-specific conservation plans to maximize productivity while minimizing environmental impacts. Thompson's model program has been proposed for national adoption.

In January 2016, then Senate President [[John Alario]] of Jefferson Parish appointed Thompson chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

In January 2016, then Senate President [[John Alario]] of Jefferson Parish appointed Thompson chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.