Honors and Recognitions
The N.C. Pork Council recently announced its annual award winners at the 2010 Pork Conference. The following were winners: John Garner, E&J Farms, Pork All-American; Bundy Lane, Sarem Farms, Outstanding Pork Producer; and L.L. Murphrey, L.L. Murphrey Company, Hall of Fame (posthumous.) The conference was held Feb. 4 and 5.
The awards are designed to recognize excellence, leadership and the contributions of members of the pork industry. The Pork All-American award, for ages 25-40, and the Outstanding Pork Producer award, for ages 40 and older, recognizes contributions to the industry, community and family through exemplary management and leadership. The Hall of Fame award recognizes individuals, living or deceased, with long and outstanding service to North Carolina’s pork industry.
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The Carolina Farm Stewardship Association recently named its annual sustainable agriculture award winners at its 24th annual conference. The individuals and organizations recognized showed outstanding service in helping grow the sustainable food movement in North and South Carolina.
Following are North Carolina winners:
- N.C. Cooperative Extension Agent of the Year: Richard Boylan of Boone, agent for Ashe and Watauga counties
- Farmer of the Year: Doug Jones of Pittsboro, operator of Piedmont Biofarm;
- Non-profit of the Year: Toxic Free North Carolina of Raleigh;
- Business of the Year: Blue Ridge Food Ventures of Enka;
- Activist of the Year: Smithson Mills of Asheville;
- Career Achievement Award: Paul Mueller of Raleigh, coordinator for Sustainable Agriculture at N.C. State University.
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Dr. Richard Reich, assistant commissioner for agricultural services at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, recently received the N.C. Soybean Producers Association’s Meritorious Service award at the association’s 43rd annual meeting.
The award is the association’s most prestigious recognition for outstanding contributions to N.C. soybean farmers.
Reich has served as assistant commissioner since 2005, overseeing the Agronomic Services, Food Distribution, Marketing, Plant Industry and Research Station divisions at NCDA&CS. From 1999 to 2005, he was director of the NCDA&CS Agronomic Services Division, and earlier worked for R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and N.C. Cooperative Extension. Reich holds a Ph.D. in soil science from N.C. State University.
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