Work to begin by late 2019
At Monday’s dedication, Monsanto’s Luling Plant Manager Enrique Wehlen and Parish President Larry Cochran inked the agreement clearing the way for Luling’s Monsanto Linear Park.
Calling the donation Monsanto’s way of giving back to the community at the future park site, Wehlen welcomed community leaders and company executives to celebrate the company’s donation of 11.6 acres of land and $450,000 for the development of the park, and a walking and biking trail at 1718 Paul Maillard Road.
The donation was considered important as Monsanto proceeds with its record-setting capital expansion at its Luling site.
“Monsanto has more than 60 years of history in Luling,” Wehlen said. “We’re in the midst of a $975 million capital expansion at the site and this donation is another way we can give back to the community where we live and work.”
Cochran praised Monsanto as a 
catalyst in moving the Paul Maillard Road Corridor Revitalization project forward with its donation.
“Monsanto has been a great community partner with our parish,” he said.
Company CEO Brett Begemann called the donation “another opportunity for the company to give back to the community where so many employees live and work.”
Begemann also emphasized the donation comes at time when Monsanto is making it’s largest expansion in the world.
Rep. Greg Miller, D-56, called Monsanto “a great patron for St. Charles Parish” and its expansion shows “great confidence” in the parish.
Brant Lambert, deputy secretary with Louisiana Economic Development, agreed with Miller.
The presentation was followed by Wehlen and Cochran signing the agreement officially transferring the park land to the parish for development.
Officials also signed a ceremonial map of the park site.
In August, Clayton “Snookie” Faucheux, the parish’s Public Works director, told the Parish Council that the Paul Maillard Road Corridor Revitalization project was getting being jumpstarted by Monsanto’s partnership in helping make it happen.
The first phase of the project was projected to begin by June of this year.
Evans-Graves Engineers won the bid on the first of three phases for the long-anticipated $9.2 million project, which calls for redesigning the corridor. Faucheux said all open ditch drainage will be covered to make way for roadway upgrades, landscaping and multi-use path and pedestrian sidewalk.
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