Retired UT extension specialist inducted into National Hall of Fame

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The lives of thousands of farm families, 4-H’ers, community members and many others in southern middle Tennessee are all different because of one man’s commitment to community service and quality work through University of Tennessee Extension. John Campbell, a UT Extension retiree, was recently honored for this work and inducted into the Hall of Fame at the annual meeting of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents.

Held in September in Fort Wayne, Indiana, the annual meeting of NACAA brings together Extension agents and specialists from across the country and awards for excellent Extension programming are presented. The NACAA Hall of Fame Award recognizes members for demonstrated commitment, dedication and effective leadership in their job performance as an outstanding educator and as an outstanding humanitarian. The award is presented each year to four individuals, one from each of the four NACAA regions.

For Campbell, a 35-year career that started as a 4-H agent soon grew to influence statewide programming. For the last 27 years of his time with UT Extension, Campbell served nine counties as an area farm management specialist and helped with more than 1,200 farm financial management plans and decisions. Campbell authored a web site and regular newsletters, taught more than 300 educational sessions, and produced a monthly milk outlook for dairy producers. Campbell also coordinated the development of a workshop curriculum for small farmers that has been used statewide and led a team which developed management and marketing curriculum for Tennessee’s Master Goat Producer program.

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Campbell has also been a leader in his community. He has served as a member of the Lewisburg Lion’s Club, holding most offices at one time or another, and serves on several committees at his church, including a building committee for a project totaling $1 million. Even in retirement, Campbell continues to volunteer with 4-H and several other organizations in southern middle Tennessee, including the Maury County Fair, Volunteers in Tax Assistance, and the Marshall County Agriculture Appreciation Breakfast. Campbell has recently served as an election worker, a counselor for Medicare recipients, and with the Tennessee Wool Pool.

Campbell has been a dedicated and diligent member of NACAA on the state and national level, attending 35 of 36 state annual meetings prior to his retirement in 2013. Campbell’s efforts have been recognized with several awards, including District Agent-of-Year in Youth and Adult Work, District Outstanding Young Agent Award, and the TAAA&S/Hicks Award of Excellence, an annual award presented by the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.

Through its mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions.

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