(02/20/24) MARKSVILLE, La. — The Louisiana agriculture industry lost one of its greatest champions when Ray Young died last month after more than half a century of service to the farming community. Yet his legacy lives on through the Ray and Dorothy Young Endowed Graduate Student Award in Field Crop Integrated Pest Management.

The 2024 recipient of the award, David Galo, was honored at the recent Louisiana Agricultural Technology and Management Conference hosted by the Louisiana Agricultural Consultants Association.

Galo is a doctoral candidate in plant pathology and crop physiology. The author of several research articles and abstracts, Galo is studying under the mentorship of LSU AgCenter nematology researcher Tristan Watson.

Galo said his goals are to “embark on a career as a research scientist in the agriculture industry, aiming to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and practical application by farmers, and to bring efficient, environmental and sound solutions that benefit everyone.”

Michael Salassi, AgCenter executive associate vice president and director of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, presented Galo with the award, worth $10,000, and said it is much deserved.

“David Galo is an outstanding recipient of this award,” Salassi said. “He is a well-trained plant pathologist and is conducting relevant research to address the needs of Louisiana’s agriculture sector.”

A native of Honduras, Galo was born on a farm, which shaped his love for agriculture. His current research focuses on nematode management. Nematodes are microscopic roundworms that are particularly harmful to sweet potatoes because they feed on their root system.

“I feel honored to be the recipient of this award,” Galo said. “And I want to acknowledge the recent passing of Ray Young. He will be missed.”

Young served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy from 1950 to 1955, when he moved his family to Wisner, Louisiana. He built an agriculture consulting business from the ground up, serving producers in northern Louisiana and advocating for the state’s agriculture industry in Washington, D.C.

His wife of 71 years, Dorothy, was on hand at the conference. She said she is delighted the award is named after her and her husband and is thankful to Galo for conducting such important research.

“Agriculture is so important to all of us because we all have to eat,” she said. “My husband was always insistent that the award would go to a scientist who would further the progress of agriculture in the state.”

Doctoral candidate David Galo was recently honored with the 2024 Ray and Dorothy Young Endowed Graduate Student Award in Field Crop Integrated Pest Management at the Louisiana Agricultural Technology and Management Conference in Marksville. He is pictured here with Dorothy Young and Michael Salassi, AgCenter executive associate vice president and director of the Louisiana Agricultural Experimental Station. Photo by V. Todd Miller/LSU AgCenter