William Powell

William A. Powell, Princeton, Missouri, a prominent dairy farmer and nationally recognized dairy leader was presented the 1979 Hall of Honors-Dairy Leadership Award during the Missouri Dairymen’s Institute held on the University of Missouri-Columbia Campus March 22-24.

The award is presented annually by the Association of Missouri Dairy Organizations.

Mr. Powell and his family own and operate a 2,100 acre farm near Princeton, Missouri. He and his wife Joy have four sons.

The farm has some 200 Holsteins in the dairy herd, 150 beef cattle and crops are: alfalfa, 200 acres; wheat, 200; corn, 400; soybean, 400.

In spite of extensive farming operations Mr. Powell is active in many state and national dairy organizations. He is President of Mid­America Dairymen, Inc., a position he has held since its inception in 1968. He was president of Pure Milk Producers Association of Greater Kansas City for two years. This organization was one of five dairy cooperatives that consolidated in 1968 to form Mid-America Dairymen, Inc.

He served as President of the National Milk Producers Federation, Washington, D.C. and on the NMPF Board of Directors for eight years. He has been a member of NMPFs executive committee for the past five years and was the first Vice President for three years.

He has served the past six years as Vice President of United Dairy Industries Association and is currently in that position. He was a member of the American Dairy Association’s national board of directors for seven years. He was an officer on the Kansas City Dairy Council unit for seven years, and served as secretary of National Dairy Council for two years.

Mr. Powell served on the Agricultural Advisory Council to the University of Missouri for six years, under both Gov. Warren Hearnes and Gov. Kit Bond. He is past president of the Missouri Institute of Cooperatives. He also served six years on the University of Missouri Dairy Advisory Council.

He holds the American Farmer Degree in the Future Farmers of America, which he received in 1941. He received the Gamma Sigma Delta Award of Merit from the University of Missouri and was named one of the four persons awarded the Outstanding Young Farmers in America Award from the Junior Chamber of Commerce in 1956. In February 1979 he was honored by the Missouri College of Agriculture for his many achievements as a leader in agriculture.

He graduated from Princeton High School in 1939 and was the State Treasurer of the Missouri FFA in 1939 and 1940. In 1978 he received the National Public Service Award, for outstanding contributions to cooperative business, presented by the American Institute for Cooperatives. His activities in addition to those listed above include: member of Secretary Bergland’s Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee; Board of Directors of the World Dairy Expo; Board of Directors of the National Livestock and Meat Board; Advisory Committee National Cattlemen’s Association. He is active in the Missouri Farm Bureau and the Missouri Farmers Association. In addition he is on the University of Missouri Dairy Advisory Committee; and on Governor Teasdale’s Commission on Campaign Reform and Official Conduct.

Mr. Powell is a pilot and flies his own plane to many dairy industry meetings. He is a charter member of the Flying Farmers of Missouri, which he helped organize in 1946.

In spite of his busy life as a farmer and participation in numerous dairy organizations, Mr. Powell is active in community affairs and serves as a Certified Lay Speaker for the United Methodist Church.

His photograph and a record of his accomplishment will be placed in the Dairymen’s Hall of Honors, Eckles Hall, University of Missouri Columbia.