Jonas Koehn

I own and operate a 140 acre farm, with 65 acres in catfish production.

I am seeking employment since I can no longer make a living in this manner because of the financial challenges the catfish industry has been struggling with since early 2023. The catfish business has provided all or part of my living since 1995.

I purchased my farm in 1989 after three years of operating a successful row crop operation. The farm was an existing dairy when my wife and I purchased it. We operated the dairy for 7 years, as we transitioned into raising catfish commercially. Twice during the last 30 years when supplementary income was need I taught elementary education in parochial schools for a total of 5 years of teaching.

Farm work has included a wide range of equipment operation, light mechanic work, and maintenance on many pieces of equipment, besides the day-to-day management of the aquaculture production, and the business side of the operation.

I taught all subjects to grade 7 and 8 students in a multi-grade classroom for 4 years.

I discontinued when it once again became viable to pull my full living from the catfish operation.

I taught all elementary education subjects to grades six, seven, and eight for one school term.

I signed a contract for a second year, but upon a mutual agreement between myself and the school board because of changes in the student count, we canceled the contract.

I operated a fertilizer and lime spreading truck with a Class B CDL for about a year and a half.

I discontinued when I took a teaching position.