The inaugural Harold E. Ford Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Don Dalton by the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association during the annual chairmen’s reception at the 2008 International Poultry Expo in Atlanta.

Dalton retired in December as president of the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association.

Dalton succeeded Ford as the staff head of the association. His ties to the organization date back to the 1970s, when Dalton was general manager of Valmac Industries, a broiler processor in Arkansas, later acquired by Tyson Foods. It was during those years that he was elected to the board of directors of what was then known to most in the industry simply as “SOUTHEASTERN.” After several years on the board, he became a member of the executive committee. He served as what is now chairman in 1978.

In 1989, Dalton joined the staff of the association as exhibit manager and director of government relations. He was named president when Ford retired in 1992. He led the organization as it continued to expand and serve the U.S. poultry industry in all aspects of poultry and egg production and processing. The major emphasis has been in areas such as education, research, communication, environmental management, food safety, and of course, the annual International Poultry Expo.

The Harold E. Ford Lifetime Achievement Award is presented occasionally to an individual whose dedication and extra effort over the years have far exceeded the ordinary and who has had significant impact on the poultry industry and the U.S. Poultry & Egg Association. It is a periodic award to recognize exemplary service and unique visionary leadership.