L. Clyde Carter

L. Clyde Carter was born June 10, 1909 in Warren, Arkansas. He graduated from Monticello High School in 1928, then graduated from the University of Arkansas College of Agriculture in 1931, with a major in agronomy. He did graduate work in agronomy at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin. Mr. Carter began his career as a Technical Assistant at the University of Arkansas, Rice Branch Experiment Station in Stuttgart, then became County Extension Agent of Montgomery and later Howard County. He became Director-in-charge in 1937 of the University of Arkansas, Rice Branch Experiment Station in Stuttgart. In April of 1944 he became General Manager and chief executive officer of The Arkansas Rice Growers Cooperative Association (forerunner of Riceland Foods, Inc.) headquartered in Stuttgart and in 1971 Mr. Carter was elected president and chief executive officer. Under Mr. Carter’s management, 25 grain drying cooperatives were organized and affiliated with Riceland Food, Inc. Riceland Foods Seed Division, Inc. was organized in 1972 and became affiliated with Riceland Foods. Until his retirement in November of 1977, Mr. Carter was the chief executive officer of the 28 cooperatives making up the Riceland Foods organization. Annual sales and services at that time exceeded $500 million annually, representing about 25 percent of the total agricultural sales in Arkansas. Mr. Carter served a six year term on the Federal Farm Credit Board and as its chairman in 1966. He also served on the Board of Directors of the National Council of Farmer Cooperatives. He served on numerous advisory committees to the Secretary of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture. Mr. Carter was selected Man of the Year in Agriculture by Progressive Farmer magazine in 1956. In 1960 Sttutgart Chamber of Commerce named him Man of the Year and he received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Arkansas. He was named Trustee Emeritus by the University of Arkansas and in 1969 he received the Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from the University.