American Sugar Cane League adds funds to scholarship to honor late agronomist Windell Jackson

In four decades as an agronomist with the American Sugar Cane League, Windell Jackson had a profound impact on the Louisiana sugarcane industry.

Jackson died in March at the age of 74. To honor his contributions to the industry, the League recently added $25,000 and Jackson’s name to an existing scholarship fund for LSU students.

By LSU AgCenter Reporter Olivia McClure

The Lloyd Lauden/Windell Jackson Memorial Endowed Scholarship is available to College of Agriculture students. Preference is given to those from Louisiana’s sugarcane-growing region and those who have an interest in the sugarcane industry.

The fund was established in 1990 as the Lloyd Lauden Memorial Endowed Scholarship. Lauden, who also was an agronomist with the league, hired Jackson in 1973.

“Lloyd Lauden and Windell Jackson made outsized contributions to Louisiana’s sugarcane industry,” said Jim Simon, manager of the American Sugar Cane League. “They both served the industry for decades. They both provided a steady guiding hand with their knowledge of the crop and their ability to transfer scientific knowledge to the growers. We’re proud to honor Windell alongside Mr. Lauden for his dedication to sugarcane.”

A native of Sicily Island in northeastern Louisiana, Jackson had little knowledge of sugarcane when he began working for the League as an assistant agronomist. But he had an agronomy degree from Northeast Louisiana University and was eager to continue learning when he arrived in south Louisiana’s cane belt.

Over the years, Jackson developed relationships with farmers, millers and researchers and became a respected force in the industry — locally, nationally and internationally. With his calm demeanor and ability to share scientific information in easy-to-understand terms, he had a knack for reassuring anxious growers whenever they faced challenges.

In 2001, Jackson became the League’s research coordinator, authoring or co-authoring hundreds of reports on such topics as variety development, fertilization and new agricultural technologies. He also served in many leadership roles in industry organizations.

More information on this and other College of Agriculture scholarship opportunities is available at https://bit.ly/3Gy4tUt.