FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Univ. of Arkansas announced Oct. 6 at the 20th anniversary celebration of its Center of Excellence for Poultry Science that it has accepted $1.3 million in matching donations from Tyson Foods for poultry research and promotion. In addition, Springdale-based George's Inc. and Simmons Foods Inc. also donated $100,000 each to the university. The donations will be used to modernize the Univ. of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's poultry research facilities in northern Fayetteville, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, the son of a poultry contract farmer, attended the anniversary celebration as the keynote speaker. He emphasized that while in office, he has always tried to promote Arkansas agriculture.

"It's a small world, a world that's getting smaller, but we can drive the global marketplace from right here in Arkansas," he said.

The John W. Tyson building and the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science opened in 1995.
The 20-year celebration hosted guest speakers including Hutchinson, former US Sen. David Pryor (D-Ark.), Marvin Childers, president of the Poultry Federation, Tyson Chairman John Tyson, Gary Murphy, CEO and president of Simmons, and Charles George, co-CEO and co-president of George’s.

For more complete coverage of this announcement, click here.