Members of the H. Rouse Caffey family gathered recently for the renaming of the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station to the LSU AgCenter H. Rouse Caffey Rice Research Station. From left are Blake Chatelain, Belle Caffey Chatelain, LSU Vice President for Agriculture Bill Richardson, Rex Caffey, Karen Caffey, John Valley and Jerry Caffey. (Photo by Bruce Schultz, LSU AgCenter)

News Release Distributed 11/06/15

CROWLEY, La. – Family, friends and former co-workers gathered Nov. 4 for the renaming of the LSU AgCenter Rice Research Station for the late H. Rouse Caffey in recognition of his dedication to the rice industry and Louisiana agriculture.

Several facilities could have been chosen to honor Caffey’s name because of his work with numerous agricultural research facilities, said Bill Richardson, LSU vice president for agriculture and dean of the College of Agriculture, who succeeded Caffey as LSU AgCenter chancellor. “The Rice Research Station was nearest and dearest to his heart,” he said.

The renaming was approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors on Oct. 23.

Farmer Jackie Loewer, chairman of the Louisiana Rice Research Board, said without the station, the rice industry would not exist in Louisiana today. “Without Rouse Caffey, it wouldn’t be the station it is today.”

Caffey dedicated his life to agriculture, Loewer said. “He gave his life for Louisiana agriculture, not just for rice and not just for this station.”

Station director Steve Linscombe said Caffey was a mentor to him and wasn’t reluctant to advise him. “He shared his knowledge and experience around the world.”

Caffey valued the station’s workers for their dedication to agriculture, Linscombe said. “We can’t say often enough how important everybody who works here is.”

AgCenter economist Rex Caffey said the road in front of the station and a rice variety released in 2010 are named after his father.

“My father loved this place and he loved it for three reasons,” said Caffey, the youngest of four children.

Caffey said his father recognized the station’s purpose and realized the facility’s productivity and its value to farmers.

Rouse Caffey was fond of the people who worked at the station, Rex Caffey said. “If he were here today, he would want to say ‘thank you’ to everyone.”

Rouse Caffey’s daughter, Belle Caffey Chatelain, said her father came to Louisiana from Mississippi. “He just fell in love with Crowley. He would say, ‘I’ve been Cajunized,’“ she said

Rouse Caffey grew up on a cotton farm in Mississippi and was an Army veteran. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agronomy from Mississippi State University and his doctorate in agronomy and rice breeding from LSU.

Rouse Caffey retired from LSU AgCenter in 1997 after serving 13 years as chancellor. He also was chancellor of LSU of Alexandria, vice chancellor of the LSU AgCenter, associate director of the LSU Agricultural Experiment Station. He was director of the Rice Experiment Station from 1962 until 1970 and was rice research project leader in Mississippi.

After retirement, Rouse Caffey served as interim vice president at Louisiana College and interim chancellor at LSU of Alexandria. He also continued his worldwide agricultural consulting, traveling to more than 60 countries. He was consultant to several international rice programs for the Ford Foundation, USAID, World Bank, university contracts, and private industry.