North Carolina Poultry Federation Holds 58th Annual Meeting

Record Attendance and Celebrations

The North Carolina Poultry Federation (NCPF) celebrated its 58th Annual Meeting from October 1–3 at the Grandover Resort & Conference Center in Greensboro. This year’s gathering saw one of the largest turnouts in history, featuring a golf tournament with different scramble formats, a sporting clays competition, and an evening concert with the renowned The Johnson Boys band.

Leadership Transitions and Awards

Newly elected President Tim Thomas remarked, “This year’s event marked several important milestones for the Federation, including honoring our growers and leadership transitions within NCPF.” A highlight of the meeting was the recognition of growers who serve as the backbone of the industry. The federation also celebrated Executive Director Bob Ford, who is set to retire at the end of the year, and welcomed his successor, Summer Lanier.

Acknowledging Environmental Stewardship

Each year, NCPF honors exemplary poultry growers with the Environmental Stewardship Award. This year’s winners were Bradley and Kay Leigh Parker from Parker’s Island Creek Farms, recognized for their dedication to sustainable farming practices.

The first runner-up award went to Dan and Sonya Andrews and their son Tyler of Faith Farms, commending their commitment to excellence in broiler production.

Tributes to Leadership and Service

NCPF also honored Robert L. Ford for his 21 years of service as Executive Director. Accompanied by his wife, Linda, Ford was celebrated for his substantial impact on North Carolina’s poultry sector.

The Past President’s Award was given to Cowan Johnson for his contributions over the past year, presented by new President Tim Thomas.

Installation of the New Board

During the third-quarter business meeting, NCPF installed its 2025–2026 Board of Directors. The Executive Board consists of:

• President: Tim Thomas, Butterball
• 1st Vice President: Art Lankford, Butterball
• 2nd Vice President: Matthew Wooten, Wayne-Sanderson Farms
• Secretary-Treasurer: Zach Evans, Mountaire Farms
• Immediate Past President: Cowan Johnson, House of Raeford

Full Board of Directors

The complete Board for 2025–2026 includes representatives from various esteemed organizations, such as:

• Micah Abernathy (Pilgrim’s Pride)
• Chandler Adams (Carolina Feed Association)
• Dr. Brandon Armwood (Pilgrim’s Pride)
• Andrew Boyles (Tyson Foods)
• Jacob Caviness (Breeder Hatchery Association)
• Clay Lindley (Perdue Farms)
• Tommy Furlough (Cal-Maine Foods)
• Jeff Hancock (Unicon, Inc.)
• Todd Huneycutt (Huneycutt Brothers LP)
• Willie Jervis (Braswell Family Farms)
• Bob Johnson (House of Raeford)
• James Lee (Circle-S-Ranch)
• Dr. Armando Mirande (Mountaire Farms)
• Jon Pope (Jonathan Pope Farms)
• Tommy Porter, Jr. (Porter Farms)
• Scott Prestage (Prestage Farms)
• Alex Simpson (Simpson’s Eggs)
• Kevin Taylor (Case Farms)
• Jessica Tilley (Perdue Farms)
• Scott Vanhoy (Perdue Farms)
• Mark Whitt (International Paper)

Competitions and Events

The meeting featured friendly competition, with the Sporting Clays Tournament winners being Josh Lemons (1st place), Jake Vuncannon (2nd place), and Wes Smith (3rd place).

In golf, the team of Rob McKee, Neal Walsh, Chad Lawrence, and Barrett Barker took first place in the Four-Man Scramble, while Chandler Brazeal and Jonathan Brazeal won the Two-Man Scramble.

Conclusion

This year’s NCPF Annual Meeting not only celebrated the achievements and partnerships within North Carolina’s poultry sector but also emphasized new leadership and appreciation for the legacy left by dedicated individuals.

Source: North Carolina Poultry Federation