In the News






SU Ag Center of Excellence receives $500,000 award from the 1890 Foundation
BATON ROUGE, La (BRPROUD)- On Friday, Dec. 10 The Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life (NHWQL), located at Southern University Agricultural Research & Extension Center (SU Ag Center), announces a $500,000 award from the 1890 Universities Foundation.
According to the news release—the funding is made possible through a grant from Walmart’s Center for Racial Equity.
Center of Excellence at the SU Ag Center receives $500,000 from the 1890 Foundation
Baton Rouge, La. – The Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life (NHWQL), located at the Southern University Agricultural Research & Extension Center (SU Ag Center), is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $500,000 from the 1890 Universities Foundation. This funding is made possible through a grant from Walmart’s Center for Racial Equity.
“The 1890 Universities Foundation is pleased to provide supplemental funding to support the important work of the Center for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life which is the newest center in the 1890 Centers of Excellence program. This funding is made possible through the 1890 Foundation’s partnership with Walmart and is an example of the Foundation’s mission to assist the 1890 Universities by leveraging partnerships to fund innovative solutions to address compelling economic, social, health, environmental and technological challenges facing our communities,” said Dr. Mort Neufville, President and CEO of the 1890 Universities Foundation.
WATCH: SU Ag Center hosts virtual seminar on health disparities in minorities
BATON ROUGE, La. (BRPROUD) — The 1890 Center for Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness and Quality of Life (COENHWQL) at Southern University Ag Center hosted a virtual seminar discussing the impact of health disparities in minorities.
The seminar took place on Wednesday, Oct. 6 from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Pediatrician and Chief Medical Officer of Bring Back Louisiana Ronld Andrews, M.D. addressed factors such as mortality, life expectancy, burden of disease (morbidity), mental health, health insurance and access to care within minority communities.
How Gut Microbes May Link a High-Fat Diet and Heart Disease
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death around the world. Atherosclerosis is known to be a major contributor to cardiovascular illness, and for years, researchers have recognized the connection between atherosclerosis and gut microbes. The many microorganisms in our gastrointestinal tracts serve important functions, but they can also influence the development of different diseases. A metabolite called TMAO (trimethylamine-N-oxide) is generated by gut bacteria, typically when they are digesting animal products eaten by their human host, and it's been suggested that TMAO influences the development of atherosclerosis.
SU Ag Center one of four Centers of Excellence to receive USDA funding
Baton Rouge, La. – The Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center is one of four 1890 Centers of Excellence grant recipients to receive funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). In total, the USDA/NIFA awarded $5.76 million in support to all four institutions.
“The 1890 Centers of Excellence awards are an effort to increase rural prosperity and economic sustainability of food systems in underserved farming communities,” said NIFA director Dr. Carrie Castille. “These grants will support projects that address critical needs for developing global food security and defense; enhance academic and career activities for students pursuing careers in food and agricultural sciences; and address vital needs in nutrition and health to improve the quality of life of underserved populations.”
The SU Ag Center received $1,680,000 in funding to establish the Center of Excellence for Nutrition, Health, Wellness, and Quality of Life. This Center will address diet-related health disparities in African Americans by increasing the capacities of 1890 institutions through nutrition research, teaching and extension.
SU Ag Center, LSU Ag and Florida A&M University were awarded a nearly $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture
(12/17/24) BATON ROUGE, La. — A team of researchers in Louisiana and Florida recently received nearly $500,000 in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture to better train farm workers and underserved farmers in food safety practices.
The team, composed of researchers from the LSU AgCenter, Southern University Ag Center and Florida A&M University, will use the funds to provide interactive techniques, which the researchers believe will provide better learning opportunities for the farm workers.
These techniques, which attempt to shift away from a conventional slideshow-based training format, involve short, on-farm lessons on good agricultural practices, good handling practices, worker health and hygiene, sanitation, risk assessment and Food Safety Modernization Act produce safety requirements using hands-on activities, posters and flipcharts.