Changes

== Background ==

== Background ==

A [[veterinarian]] and rancher, Strain was born in Covington to Charles "Butch" Strain,  Jr., and Carol Strain of Abita Springs, a small town in St. Tammany Parish. He graduated in 1976 from Covington High School]]. In 1983, he earned his [[Veterinarian|Doctor of Veterinary Medicine]] from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]].  He and his veterinarian wife, Dr. Susan Searcy Strain (born January 31, 1958), a native of [[Hot Springs, Arkansas|Hot Springs]], [[Arkansas]], operate Claiborne Hill Veterinary Hospital in Covington. The Strains have two children, Melissa and Michael. They attend St. Jane's d'Chantal [[Roman Catholic]] Church in Abita Springs.<ref>Representative Mike Strain Enters Agriculture Commissioner Race," ''Financial News'' at Yahoo Finance; 2007; no longer accessible on-line.</ref>

A [[veterinarian]] and rancher, Strain was born in Covington to Charles "Butch" Strain,  Jr., and Carol Strain of Abita Springs, a small town in St. Tammany Parish. He graduated in 1976 from Covington High School. In 1983, he earned his [[Veterinarian|Doctor of Veterinary Medicine]] from [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]].  He and his veterinarian wife, Dr. Susan Searcy Strain (born January 31, 1958), a native of [[Hot Springs, Arkansas|Hot Springs]], [[Arkansas]], operate Claiborne Hill Veterinary Hospital in Covington. The Strains have two children, Melissa and Michael. They attend St. Jane's d'Chantal [[Roman Catholic]] Church in Abita Springs.<ref>Representative Mike Strain Enters Agriculture Commissioner Race," ''Financial News'' at Yahoo Finance; 2007; no longer accessible on-line.</ref>

A cousin of St. Tammany Parish [[Sheriff]] [[Jack Strain|Rodney "Jack" Strain, Jr.]], Strain is a former member of the Sheriff’s Office Reserves and a former commissioner for the St. Tammany Parish Fire District. He was chosen by the [[Centers for Disease Control]] as one of three Louisiana veterinarians to have been instructed in awareness of bioterrorism. Dr. Strain is a past president and board member for the Louisiana [[Farm Bureau]] Federation]and is affiliated with the Louisiana Cattlemen's Association.<ref>Mike Strain.org, no longer on-line.</ref>

A cousin of St. Tammany Parish [[Sheriff]] [[Jack Strain|Rodney "Jack" Strain, Jr.]], Strain is a former member of the Sheriff’s Office Reserves and a former commissioner for the St. Tammany Parish Fire District. He was chosen by the [[Centers for Disease Control]] as one of three Louisiana veterinarians to have been instructed in awareness of bioterrorism. Dr. Strain is a past president and board member for the Louisiana [[Farm Bureau]] Federation]and is affiliated with the Louisiana Cattlemen's Association.<ref>Mike Strain.org, no longer on-line.</ref>