(02/27/25) BATON ROUGE, La. — As a young boy, Kenneth Gravois was a voracious reader, and on his regular reading list — the American Sugar Cane League’s Sugar Bulletin.

“It came in the mail twice a month, and I devoured it,” Gravois said. “I just thought it was fascinating.”

He said it was his first introduction to the American Sugar Cane League. Gravois also recalls meeting Sugar Bulletin columnist Lloyd Louden at a sugarcane field day in St. James Parish.

“It was like meeting a celebrity,” he said.

Gravois grew up on a sugarcane farm and has spent most of his career working with this unique crop. His dedication to the sugarcane industry and years spent improving sugarcane varieties has led to the LSU AgCenter naming Gravois to the American Sugar Cane League Chair in Sugar Production.

This appointment recognizes Gravois' extensive contributions to the sugarcane industry and highlights the pivotal role of the American Sugar Cane League in advancing sugarcane research and production.

“I couldn’t be more proud to hold the chair. It's been a rewarding career, and to have this honor is very special,” he said.

Gravois didn’t expect to have a career in research and academics. When he came to LSU as an undergraduate, he thought he would return to the family farm upon graduating. He said his work and classes sparked an interest in the research aspects of agriculture, and he had encouraging mentors.

Gravois was a student worker for agronomy professor Laron Golden. That was his introduction into research.

“I was a million questions, and he was a million answers,” Gravois said of Golden. “He didn't mind taking the time to have those discussions with me and it just kind of fleshed out a lot of my curiosity.”

Gravois changed his major from soil science to crop science, which put him on a path of graduate school and plant breeding.

After receiving his Ph.D., he served as a rice breeder with the University of Arkansas for nine years. He returned to the LSU AgCenter to take over the sugarcane breeding program in the 1990s and has worked with sugarcane ever since, now serving as the state’s sugarcane specialist.

Jim Simon, who has led the American Sugar Cane League as general manager since 2004, said the organization’s membership spearheaded the effort to establish the American Sugar Cane League Chair in Sugarcane Production. This endowment — made possible by the dedication and investment of Louisiana’s sugarcane growers and millers — ensures that research remains at the forefront of the industry for generations to come.

“The growers and millers who make up the American Sugar Cane League understand that research is the foundation of our industry’s success. They committed their resources to create this endowment because they know that continuous innovation is the key to staying efficient and resilient — especially here in Louisiana, where weather and pests will always present challenges,” Simon said. “We are fortunate to have exceptional researchers working on our behalf, and Ken Gravois is at the top of that list. His leadership has helped drive real progress in sugarcane production, and we’re proud to see him recognized with this well-deserved honor.”

From his early days of reading the Sugar Bulletins to today, Gravois has relied on the American Sugar Cane League. He said the league has worked with other entities in the state to move the industry forward.

“The league is really the architect of what we call the three-way agreement, which brings the league, LSU and the USDA together for variety development,” Gravois explained.

He said this collaboration has been crucial in addressing challenges and driving innovation in the industry.

Early on, the league’s goal was to solve disease issues in sugarcane.

“When I was reading those Sugar Bulletin articles, there were two diseases that people worried about — mosaic disease, which is a virus, and ratoon stunt disease, which is a bacterial disease,” he said. “Those two diseases have been conquered. The young farmers today don't even know what those diseases are.”

Other diseases have come and gone, and the league steadily worked with farmers and researchers to overcome challenges, increasing yield and efficiency along the way.

Gravois pointed out that from 1930 to 1970, the industry saw a doubling of yield in Louisiana, and from 1970 to today, yields have doubled again. At the same time, the crop cycle has been lengthened, allowing for more efficient and sustainable production.

He credits the league for backing strong science and research in sugarcane, for pursuing positive legislation for sugarcane farmers and helping sugarcane’s value grow to over $1 billion.

Gravois' appointment is a testament to his dedication and the collaborative efforts of the American Sugar Cane League, the LSU AgCenter and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Gravois said together, they continue to drive the sugarcane industry towards a prosperous future.

Kenneth Gravois, LSU AgCenter sugarcane specialist, stands in a greenhouse at the LSU AgCenter Sugar Research Station. Gravois was named the American Sugar Cane League Chair in Sugar Production. Photo by Tobie Blanchard/LSU AgCenter