Thomas E. “Ted” Darragh

Thomas E. “Ted” Darragh of Vilonia, Arkansas, has been directly involved in beef, dairy, poultry and swine production through Darragh Company since his discharge from the Army Air Corp as a pilot in 1945. As chairman of the board of Darragh Company in Little Rock, Mr. Darragh has directed a company that employs more than 200 people across the state. One of his most significant economic contributions to agriculture was his supervision of an Arnaplazmosis Disease-Control Program, a disease that plagued the cattle industry with annual losses running in the millions of dollars due to morbidity and mortality in herds. Under Mr. Darragh’s supervision, the Darragh Company and the Charles Pfizer Company pioneered research in Arkansas and surrounding states to control the disease. Mr. Darragh has served as president of the Arkansas Poultry Federation and the Arkansas Feed Manufacturing Association. He also served the Arkansas State Plant Board, National Poultry and Egg Board, Midwest Feed Manufacturers and was on the American Egg Board. Mr. Darragh served on the Executive Committee and Board of Governors of the Arkansas State Fair. Among many other awards and honors, Mr. Darragh was named the Arkansas Poultry Federation “Man of the Year,” and received the “Mrs. David Terry Humanitarian Award” and the “Richard H. Stein Memorial Award” for unselfish and devoted service to the Cerebral Palsy Program.