The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) welcomes the late Bill Prestage, founder of Prestage Farms, into the NPPC Hall of Fame for his outstanding contributions to the pork industry. The prestigious award honors his visionary leadership, innovation and commitment to excellence throughout his career.
Prestage died October 10, 2022, at the age of 87.
Bryan Humphreys, NPPC CEO, lauded Prestage's transformative impact on agricultural practices, highlighting his dedication to quality, sustainability and animal welfare. As the force behind Prestage Farms, his legacy resonates as a beacon of innovation and corporate responsibility in pork production.
Scott Hays, NPPC president, emphasizes Prestage's profound influence on the industry, extending beyond farm operations to shape practices nationwide. Prestage's commitment to family, community and industry growth, along with his advocacy for the next generation of leaders, cements his place in the NPPC Hall of Fame.
The NPPC annually recognizes individuals like Bill Prestage at the National Pork Industry Forum, celebrating their pivotal role in advancing the industry's mission for social, environmental and economic sustainability.
Prestage founded Prestage Farms in 1983 by purchasing the Swift turkey operations and feed mill in Harrells, North Carolina. The company has since grown into being a major pork producer and turkey producer.
In addition to his leadership within the pork industry, Prestage also was active in the turkey industry. He served as chairman of the National Turkey Federation (NTF) in 1982. Today, Prestage Farms ranks as the fifth largest turkey producer in the United States, having slaughtered 436 million pounds of live turkeys in 2023.
In addition to being an inductee into the NPPC Hall of Fame, Prestage has been inducted into the North Carolina Poultry Federation Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Pork Hall of Fame.
NPPC pays tribute to Prestage in a video that can be found on YouTube.
