Dr. James Barker Inducted to the NCPC Hall of Fame

The North Carolina Pork Council (NCPC) has named Professor Emeritus Dr. James C. Barker to its Hall of Fame membership for his significant contributions to the state's pork industry and the progress of NCPC.

The Hall of Fame announcement was made Friday (Feb. 3) during the annual NC Pork Conference Awards Breakfast held at the Marriott Crabtree in Raleigh.

Dr. Barker's efforts in support of the pork industry grew out of his work at the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at North Carolina State University. Arriving at N.C. State in 1974, he retired as professor emeritus in 2001.

His contributions to what is now a $9 billion industry in North Carolina stemmed from his efforts in the areas of waste characterization, lagoon design, land application, waste removal and odor abatement.

Deborah Johnson, NCPC chief executive officer, commented, "The issue of waste management in the pork industry was, and continues to be, of critical importance to our industry. Dr. Barker's achievements in this arena were invaluable and cannot be overestimated."

Industry officials were long aware that as larger and more concentrated pork production units came into being several decades ago, improved waste management systems were required. Dr. Barker is credited with helping to pioneer improved systems for pollution control and preservation of environmental quality, all based on sound engineering technology.

Dr. L. Bynum Driggers, also a professor emeritus from N.C. State and himself a NCPC Hall of Fame member, said, "Dr. Barker worked tirelessly to establish exemplary waste management systems on farms that served as model demonstrations for area pork producers."