A Tribute to Mr. Ed Hester
With his passing, the Mississippi soybean community lost a stellar leader and promoter of soybeans as a crop that has become No. 2 in the state. The ascension of soybeans to this position in Mississippi agriculture can be attributed in large part to Mr. Hester’s leadership efforts in support of activities that sought to improve the crop’s potential and to improve conditions for the Mississippi soybean farmer.
Mr. Hester’s willingness to volunteer kept him involved in the many issues that confronted Mississippi farmers. One of the many leadership roles that he filled in Mississippi agriculture was the presidency of the Mississippi Soybean Association.
Fortunately, Mr. Hester was recognized for these leadership activities during his life. In 1995, he received the Lancaster/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year award. In 2002, he was recognized as the MSU-CALS Alumnus of the year. In 2004, he was the recipient of the first Excellence in Leadership Award presented by the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation.
During my tenure at Stoneville (1975-2004), I was indeed fortunate to have known Mr. Ed. His influence on me personally was profound. He was always supportive of research and extension programs that kept the soybean industry moving forward. He could always be counted on to look out for the best interests of the state’s soybean producers and those who worked to improve soybean production in the state. He never wavered in his belief in and support of Mississippi agriculture in general and Mississippi soybean production in particular.
No amount of words I write here will adequately pay tribute to the contributions of this outstanding leader and gentleman. However, in my small way I want to ensure that his family and friends know that his contributions to the Mississippi soybean industry were noteworthy and appreciated. His leadership activities that so positively impacted Mississippi agriculture are worthy of emulation and will be sorely missed.
Composed by Larry G. Heatherly, Mar. 2013, larryheatherly@bellsouth.net