HENDERSON — Build East Texas (BET) chairman Horace McQueen presented the BET Bill Clements Memorial Award to Goldman rancher Phil Sadler at the recent 1998 annual BET conference here.
In 1981, BET established the V.A. “Bill” Clements Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership in Agriculture to recognize individuals who have made outstanding contributions to agriculture and agribusiness in the 37-county East Texas region.
“Phil has been a strong BET supporter for many years. He has been an avid supporter of extension educational programs,” said Jerry Jackson, Wood County agricultural agent with the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
In his letter nominating Sadler for the award, Jackson wrote, “Phil was instrumental in educational programs and treatment of black fly (buffalo gnats) along the Sabine River. He has helped secure donations, traveled to College Station, and met with entomologists, and visited Sabine River counties to observe treatment practices.”
More praise comes from Julia Johnson, Wood County Extension Executive Board secretary.
“Phil is a very positive thinker and endeavors to carry through with programs he initiates, whether it be for his own family, the school, the church or community as a whole. He has worked hard on the TALL (Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership) Program, securing not only good nominees but items for raffles and actions to fund the program.”
Sadler runs a cow-calf operation in Wood and Rains counties. He also combines bahia seed and sells it both wholesale and retail. He is known as a progressive farmer, marketing his cattle through sale barns, by truck loads to brokers and by video auctions.
Sadler is a member of the Leadership Task Force of the Texas Agricultural and Natural Resource Summit Initiative. He is a former Rotary Club member and current member of the Optimist Club. He has served on the Alba-Golden School Board for the past nine years. Sadler also is a past president of BET.
The purpose of the BET Program is to improve the agricultural income of East Texas citizens by encouraging the adoption and application of the newest technology and developing marketing systems. BET works with area agribusinesses, develops local leadership, and strives to beautify and best utilize East Texas natural resources.
The Build East Texas Program area consists of 37 counties in East Texas, including Anderson, Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Franklin, Freestone, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hopkins, Houston, Jasper, Leon, Madison, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Newton, Panola, Polk, Rains, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt, Walker and Wood.
Membership of the BET Program is voluntary and is open to everyone. The Texas Agricultural Extension Service, of the Texas A&M University System, works closely with the Build East Texas Program.
Those wishing more information about BET membership or its programs should contact their local county office of the Extension Service.
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