S.D. Mitchell

The late S. D. Mitchell, was raised in Logan county and gave his life to agricultural education and the Arkansas poultry industry. Mitchell taught vocational agriculture classes at Strawberry,ClintonandConwayhigh schools before returning to theUniversityofArkansasto obtain his master’s degree. From 1935-1943, Mitchell taught on the faculty at Arkansas State Teachers College (now the University of Central Arkansas), for five years before moving to Arkansas Tech University where he headed the vo-ag department. He was then hired by the state Department of Education to direct the Future Farmers of America program. In the early 1950’s Mitchell was named president of Valley Feed Company, an agricultural feed distributor near Russellville. While serving in this capacity, Mitchell assisted his former student Harold Snyder, president of Valley Feed Mills, in transforming the poultry industry in the state through a concept known as vertical integration. In 1958, Valley Feed Mills, Valley Feed Company, Bryant Poultry, and Arkansas Valley Hatchery combined with several other companies to form Arkansas Valley Industries, Inc., considered the first such vertically integrated poultry company inArkansas. Mitchell was elected executive vice president of AVI. He remained in charge of operations until his retirement in 1970. His resume includes a term as president of the Arkansas Poultry Federation.