Southern University and A&M College | Lafayette, LA

Consumer/Public Interest | January, 2011 – January, 2016

C. Reuben Walker is a Professor and Program Leader of Agricultural Science at Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center (SUAREC) and Southern University-Baton Rouge (SUBR). He is the holder of SUAREC and SUBR first patent (crawfish waste process for reducing calcium in aquatic waste of crabs, crawfish, and shrimp). Dr. Walker is leading the effort at SUAREC and SUBR in developing a focus on organic since the retirement of Dr. Owusu Bandele (NOSB 2000-05). Dr. Walker views organic as an excellent means of promoting agriculture to a broad array of new and traditional rural, urban, and suburban stakeholders for promoting healthy living and being good stewards of the earth resources. Currently, his research focus is on organic pork, vegetables, and testing aquatic waste materials as a feed supplement and fertilizer.

His connection to organic has been due to Frank Stronach (Founder of Magna Corporation) and Dennis Mills of Magna Corporation, Toronto Canada, Harry Schexnayder (Organic Certification Manager) at the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, and Earnest Freeman, Retired LSU County Agent.

Dr. Walker has several years of experience in advocating organic and helping numerous Louisiana limited resource and small farmers secure organic inputs and locate organic vendors. Dr. C. Reuben Walker holds a M.S and Ph.D. in Animal Breeding from Oregon State University, Corvallis Oregon, with minors in Statistics and Poultry Production. Also, he holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Animal Science from the Louisiana Tech University, Ruston Louisiana. He is a charter member of the Louisiana Gamma Chapter of Alpha Zeta. He is leading the effort to establish the Center for Regenerative Agriculture and Biofuels (CRAB) and establish the Frank Stronach Center for Organic at SUAREC. The Frank Stronach Center will focus will include assisting limited resource individuals transition from conventional agriculture to sustainable agriculture to organic. After his tenure on NOSB, plans are to go “full force” in these aforementioned endeavors.