Washington, D.C. — The National Turkey Federation (NTF) honored Vance Larson, S&K Turkeys, who served as NTF chairman in 1986, with the NTF Lifetime Achievement Award. Presented in Tampa, Fla., recently during the NTF Annual Convention, Larson received the award for being a leader and innovator in the turkey industry.
Pete Hermanson, a past NTF chairman (1988) and past Lifetime Achievement recipient (2004), presented Larson with the award. In presenting the award, Hermanson said, "It was at NTF that Vance created his most lasting legacy in the industry…he had a passion for making NTF and the turkey industry the best organization possible."
Larson started in the turkey business when he was about 14 years old in Sergeant, Minn. His family-owned turkey business began to grow and prosper and in 1965 the Larson family purchased the grain elevator in Sergeant, making it part of their operations. In 1986, when he was elected NTF chairman, his operation was raising more than a quarter of a million turkeys annually, along with 5,000 hogs and 1,700 acres of corn. He also served as president of Midwest Poultry Federation in 1983 and was a longtime force within the Minnesota turkey industry.
Hermanson concluded, "Vance's commitment to the turkey industry didn't end when his term as chairman was over or when he left the Executive Committee, he remained active in the federation serving through 2011 as a member of the Board of Directors."
NTF initiated the Lifetime Achievement Award program at its 1946 Annual Convention. Since that time, 67 recipients have been recognized with this honor.
About the National Turkey Federation
The National Turkey Federation (NTF) is the national advocate for all segments of the $14 billion turkey industry, providing services and conducting activities that increase demand for its members' products by protecting and enhancing their ability to profitably provide wholesome, high-quality, nutritious products. Its award-winning website,www.EatTurkey.com, offers consumers, food professionals and the media an extensive library of information including healthy eating and restaurant trends, turkey cuts and purchasing tips, turkey nutrition and cooking techniques, and turkey facts and trivia. Additionally, the site presents a searchable database of more than 2,200 recipes and provides special seasonal and holiday ideas. NTF is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Source: National Turkey Federation