The Louisiana Rice Research Board has given $1 million to fund an academic chair dedicated for rice research in the LSU AgCenter.
The presentation was made at the annual joint meeting of the Louisiana Rice Council and the Louisiana Rice Growers Association in Jennings.
The board has pledged to provide an additional $500,000 later this year for the Louisiana Rice Research Board Chair for Excellence in Rice Research with the hope of more allocations in the next few years to growing the chair over time.
The money is coming from funds obtained through the Colombian Free Trade Agreement. Interest from the funds is dedicated solely for research purposes.
Board chairman Richard Fontenot said planning for the chair began in 2015.
“The research that has come out of the LSU AgCenter over the years has certainly helped the Louisiana rice industry, but it has also supported and fed the world,” Fontenot said.
“This endowment has been in the works for a long time, and now that it is official, I feel good knowing the rice industry will continue to benefit from world-class research that will come out of LSU thanks to this strengthened research program.”
Rogers Leonard, LSU AgCenter associate vice president, said the chair will provide a reliable funding source for research.
“This perpetual funding source will help make sure that the LSU AgCenter’s world-class rice research will continue uninterrupted,” Leonard said.