Agricultural News
Roy Lee Lindsey Leaving OkPork to Assume Leadership Role in Second Largest Pork Producing State with the North Carolina Pork Council
Thu, 19 Nov 2020 05:42:39 CST
For the past twenty two years, Roy Lee Lindsey has guided the trade association for the pork industry in the state of Oklahoma- but by the end of 2020, he will leave his role as the Executive Director of OkPork to take a similar position on a much bigger stage with the North Carolina Pork Council as of January first, 2021.
Lindsey joined OkPork December 1, 1998 as the Oklahoma pork industry was rapidly expanding with the opening of the Seaboard Pork Processing Plant in Guymon. Seaboard had opened three years earlier and was hitting full production in 1997. Lindsey quickly took on the role of being the role of interacting with lawmakers, local community leaders and others in the ag community as hog numbers pushed Oklahoma into top ten status nationally.
Initially, most of those pigs being raised were fed out and sent to be processed by the Seaboard plant- but over the years-economics dictated that many Oklahoma pigs were born and weaned and then shipped into the corn belt where the feed was. Oklahoma is a top five sow state because of that- and that has meant OkPork actively helping their members interact with state officials in realigning their farms from raising and finishing hogs to having more of their facilities designed to house sows and produce millions of baby pigs headed to other states to be finished.
The image of the Oklahoma Pork Industry has always been a major part of Roy Lee's priorities- and making sure that the general public understood that Oklahoma's pork producers were good neighbors has been paramount in his leadership strategy.
Under his leadership- a lot of time and energy have been invested into the rural youth of Oklahoma- Roy Lee has led in putting on the hog shows at the two largest youth show venues in the state- the Oklahoma Youth Expo and the Tulsa State Fair. His voice over Public Address System was a familiar sound to exhibitors and their families at these events in the spring and fall.
Lindsey also was willing to take on the job of being a public face for all of Oklahoma during the Right to Farm State Question 777 debate. He appeared on countless radio and TV shows and interviews and offerd a passionate defense for all farmers and ranchers- not just hog farmers- during that emotionally charged campaign. Large amounts of money that came in from anti modern production agriculture doomed that effort- but Roy Lee Lindsey was a bright spot for the Oklahoma Ag Community that summer and fall.
The new position that Lindsey will assume January first puts him in the "eye of the storm" for the pork industry nationally. Since 2018, multiple nuisance lawsuits have been filed against North Carolina pork farms(almost all contractors for Murphy-Brown- subsidiary of Smithfield Farms), as dozens have been litigated and millions of dollars have been awarded by juries- and appeals continue. His experience in convincing rural neighbors in Oklahoma that pork farmers are good neighbors will offer a fresh perspective to the ongoing efforts of both the North Carolina Pork Council and their biggest farm group allies- the North Carolina Farm Bureau.
As he leaves- Lindsey has been working with the OkPork Board of Directors in making sure the organization moves forward in a positive way. On Wednesday, it was announced that Nikki Snider will serve as the interim executive director, effective Dec. 23, while the Board of Directors pursues a permanent replacement. The Oklahoma Pork Council Board of Directors has formed a search committee to identify the next leader of the organization.
"I am humbled to continue serving Oklahoma pig farmers as interim director at okPORK," said Snider. "I am excited to use my 16 years of experience at okPORK to keep our organization moving forward. The staff and I are committed to serving the industry daily and our goals and objectives have not changed."
Snider, current director of marketing and communications for the Oklahoma Pork Council, has many years of experience telling the stories of Oklahoma's pork producers, as she worked for okPORK since 2003 in the roles of marketing and promotions, communications and also as a contractor while she took time to focus on the role of mom.
"Nikki is no stranger to Oklahoma pork producers," said Dottie King, okPORK board president. "Her years of experience and knowledge of our operations, goals and objectives at the Oklahoma Pork Council made her an easy choice while we search for a new leader.
King also praised Lindsey "We are thankful for the time and effort Roy Lee Lindsey has put in to growing our organization, and we wish him nothing but the best in his new adventure."
Rodd Moesell, President of the Oklahoma Farm Bureau tells the Oklahoma Farm Report that "Roy Lee has been a tremendous asset in telling the Oklahoma agriculture story at the state legislature, to Congress & with the public as well as opinion leaders across our state. We are happy for Roy Lee personally as he takes the leadership of the #2 pork producing state in the country. We have advised the North Carolina Farm Bureau what an amazing leader & spokesman is headed their way. Oklahoma Farm Bureau & Oklahoma agriculture will really miss Roy Lee & his shoes will be hard to fill! It is a great loss for me personally as we have worked closely for many years on the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation to support youth, even before our greatly expanded work at Oklahoma Farm Bureau! Roy Lee just gets things done & we look forward to continuing to work together on National issues."
Michael Kelsey, Executive Vice President of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, also salutes the level of leadership that Roy Lee Lindsey has shown in his more than two decades with OkPork- "Unquestionably, the Oklahoma pork industry is a national leader because of Roy Lee. But even further, Oklahoma agriculture has benefitted from his vision and leadership. I expect we will see the North Carolina pork industry grow and prosper under Roy Lee'a watch. On behalf of OCA, we want to thank Roy Lee and wish him well."
A farewell celebration and reception for Roy Lee Lindsey is being planned for Friday, December 11th in Oklahoma City.
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