The Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center will be having a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the new headquarters for the Southwest Center for Rural Initiatives (SCRI) on Wednesday, October 27 at 2:00 pm.  The SCRI operates as a satellite entity of the SU Ag Center whose mission; in its land-grant role, is to conduct state-wide basic and applied research and to disseminate information to the citizens of Louisiana in a manner that is useful in addressing their scientific, technological, social, economic, and cultural needs. The SCRI serves a 10-parish region in Southwest Louisiana.  Those parishes include: St. Landry, Lafayette, Vermilion, Acadia, St. Martin, Pointe Coupee, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Allen, and Evangeline.  For the past five years, the SCRI has been housed in a temporary location at 242 S. Liberty Street in Opelousas.  "This is a great day for the Southern University Ag Center!  It’s been a long and tedious journey to this day,” says Chancellor Leodrey Williams.  This accomplishment is due in part to the interest and tireless efforts of several elected, appointed and community leaders. The new headquarters is located at 1209 Diesi Street, Opelousas, LA 70570. 

The SCRI was created as an extension of the Louisiana Center for Rural Initiatives. The Center coordinates and links university-based needs and strategies to address the current status of socioeconomic conditions, with particular emphasis on rural and persistent poverty areas.