Louisiana sweet potato giant Venoy Kinnaird, famous for political pea cookin', dies

Venoy Kinnaird, one of Louisiana's largest sweet potato farmers whose famous purple hull pea soup connected him with governors, generals, state lawmakers and congressmen, died unexpectedly Friday at his Morehouse Parish home.

Kinnaird, who was in in 70s, suffered a massive heart attack, friends said. He is survived his wife Pauline and their children.

"He was a true leader in the sweet potato industry and agriculture as a whole and a true friend to me," said Louisiana Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain, who often traveled abroad with Kinnaird to advance Louisiana ag.

Kinnaird was also a long-time member of the Tensas Basin Levee District board.

"It's a tremendous loss to the community and the Tensas Basin Levee District," said John Stringer, executive director of the district. "He was a dedicated public servant who will be sorely missed."

State Sen. Stewart Cathey, R-West Monroe, chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said he plans to pass a resolution next week honoring Kinnaird.

"I'd be willing to bet Venoy already has a heavenly pea cooking in the works," Cathey said noting that Kinnaird had "a servant's heart."

Kinnaird's purple hull pea concoction was chock-full of meat and other spices simmered in 20-gallon stainless steel pots and was the centerpiece of countless political gatherings.

"Politicians like it 'cause it draws a crowd," Kinnaird told USA Today Network in 2017 during a pea cookin' he hosted for Gov. John Bel Edwards and Strain. "It brings people out who wouldn't come for a steak."

Former Republican Congressman John Cooksey once convinced Kinnaird to take the dish on the road to Washington to feed Cooksey's fellow representatives.

"Them yankees didn't know what potlikker was, but they ate it and came back for seconds," Kinnaird said. "They didn't know what to do with the cornbread, so we broke it up for 'em and put it in their soup."

Funeral arrangements are incomplete.

Greg Hilburn covers state politics for the USA TODAY Network of Louisiana. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1