Stephen Harrison, professor and oat breeder, received the American Oat Workers Award for distinguished service to oat Improvement at the American Oat Workers conference in Saskatoon, Canada. Harrison has worked in oat breeding at the LSU AgCenter for 40 years. He has released or co-released 17 oat varieties and 11 wheat varieties. One of his wheat varieties LA841 was grown on more than 75% of Louisiana acres at one time and generated more than $400,000 in yearly royalty. His deer food plot oat has generated more than $50,000 per year in royalties. Harrison is chair of the SunGrains (Southeastern University Grains) small grains breeding collaborative group that includes six other southern universities. He also coordinates the USDA International Oat Nursery and collaborates with many other breeders on a global basis. The ION is the most important oat germplasm exchange system in existence with 34 oat breeding programs involved.

The Society of American Foresters recognized 22 of their members this past year after each had been nominated for “longstanding service to forestry” and “advancement of the forestry profession.” After more than 50 years of being a part of the forestry industry, work across multiple states and even a foray into Canda, LSU AgCenter School of Renewable Natural Resources professor Cornelis De Hoop was more than deserving of this recognition.

De Hoop was awarded his fellow award on Oct. 23 at the Louisiana Society of American Foresters’ Convention in Natchitoches. De Hoop, who goes by Niels, has been a party of the SAF since 1972 when he joined the student chapter at the University of Kentucky, where he received a bachelor’s degree in forestry.

Jonathan Richards, assistant professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, received the William Boright Hewitt and Maybelle Ellen Ball Hewitt Award at the American Phytopathological Society (APS) Plant Health 2024 Meeting in Memphis, Tennessee. This early career award recognizes APS members who are within seven years of receiving their Ph.D. and have made outstanding and innovative contributions directed towards the control of plant diseases.

Richards has emerged as an international leader in the molecular biology, genetics, and genomics of host-pathogen interactions in the narrow brown leaf spot rice pathosystem.

LSU Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) Academic Bowl team achieved another victory. The team won their fourth straight championship in AAEA’s national quiz bowl in New Orleans yesterday. This win showcases the talent and dedication of the College of Agriculture’s Ag Econ trivia team under the direction of professor Jerrod Penn.

Each year, AAEA sponsors an academic bowl competition for undergraduate students at the AAEA annual conference.

Marybeth Lima, department chair, Cliff & Nancy Spanier Alumni Professor, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, received the Faculty Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Mentoring Award. In Lima's LSU Community Playground Project, students are taught to center the children and the community in the design process, instead of technology and equipment. This engaged approach has resulted in the design and construction of more than 40 playgrounds that are specifically geared toward each community’s wants and needs.

Subramaniam Sathivel, professor, School of Nutrition and Food Sciences and Department of Biological & Agricultural Engineering, received the William E. “Bud” Davis Alumni Professorship. Sathivel's teaching approach, marked by innovation, inclusivity, and a genuine interest in students’ real-world success, fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential to industry success.

Thanos Gentimis, assistant professor, Department of Experimental Statistics, received the LSU Foundation Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award. Gentimis’ contributions have made a significant impact on the teaching environment in his department. He has actively contributed to the academic infrastructure by securing substantial funding to enhance the audiovisual and teaching capabilities of the statistics labs, and he is becoming a leader in artificial intelligence use in agriculture.

Sunghum Lim, assistant professor, Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness, received the Alumni Association Rising Faculty Research Award. Lim’s research focuses on international agricultural trade and agribusiness, areas that are a lifeline for Louisiana’s economy. His research endeavors have garnered substantial support; most notably, his was the top scoring proposal in the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture's grant award for 2023.

Stacia Conger, state Extension irrigation specialist, received the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers State Section Engineer of the Year award. Since 2014, Dr. Conger has held the position of assistant professor of irrigation engineering at the LSU AgCenter located at the Red River Research Station in Bossier City. Her current responsibilities include state-wide extension (80%) and research (20%) related to irrigation scheduling and technological advancements in agriculture, landscape and horticultural applications. She is involved in multiple organizations including the Irrigation Association and American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers at both the state and national levels.

LSU AgCenter Seeds to Success Program received the top honor during the Farm Credit MarketMaker Innovations Awards at the 2023 National Agricultural Marketing Summit in Arlington, Virginia, on Nov. 13.

This award recognizes outstanding efforts by state and local MarketMaker collaborations around the country that contribute to the development of local and regional food systems and help farmers connect to new market opportunities.

Louisiana Farm to School Program’s earned this honor with an entry titled, “Outreach in the Digital Age.” MarketMaker has long been a resource for Seeds to Success: The Louisiana’s Farm to School program, but they have recently increased their digital outreach efforts to increase awareness of MarketMaker as a connector between schools and Louisiana farmers.

Zhi-Yuan Chen, professor in the Department of Plant Pathology and Crop Physiology, has been awarded the American Cyanamid Professorship in Plant Biotechnology, Molecular Biology and Crop Pest Management. This professorship was established to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of faculty members within the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station who have demonstrated excellence in biotechnology to improve the competitive advantage of major agronomic or horticultural crops. Chen’s research focuses on applying biotechnology and molecular biology in crop pest management. His work helps growers manage diseases such as aflatoxin contamination in corn and Cercospora leaf blight in soybeans.