Arkansas 4-H Alumni Association

Jim Baker

Faulkner County

Outstanding Arkansas 4-H Alumnus, 2018

A fifth-generation cattleman, Jim Baker has spent his adult life advancing the state's cattle industry. From 1983 - 1995 he served on the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry commission and was a part of the effort to eradicate the reproductive disease brucellosis and move Arkansas to brucellosis "free" status.

He was elected Faulkner County Judge in 2014 and this is the sixth career he has pursued. Raised in Pike County, Baker joined 4-H as a boy and has been a member for more than 65 years. He credits 4-H for teaching his to be involved in programs that motivated him to go to college and prepared him for life challenges.

His first election was for song director of the Bethel 4-H Club in Pike County in 1957. In 1963 he was elected Southwest District 4-H Vice President.

In 1968 he moved to Conway. In 1971 Baker married Linda K. Nelson of Mt. Vernon. They have two children, Monica and Jason, who were both involved in Faulkner County 4-H for eleven years, and developed professional communication skills

In 1994 President Bill Clinton appointed Baker to become the first Administrator of the Gran Inspection, Packers and Stockyards Administration with the U.S. Department of Agricultre, a post Baker held for 6-1/2 years. He oversaw 840 employees and had a "front row seat" on Capitol Hill while managing an agency that set grain standards and regulated livestock and poultry marketing in the U.S.

He is most proud of being named Man of the Year in Arkansas Agriculture by Progressive Farmer magazine in 1999. Baker says, I was 52-years-old and at the time the youngest man to receive that honor. I am especially proud of that.

In 2004, he was elected to serve on the Arkansas 4-H Foundation Board and served until 2014.

In 2015, Judge Baker was inducted into the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame, which honors those who have made significant contributions to Arkansas agriculture, as well as community and economic development. Baker says that joining 4-H in 1952 was his first step in getting into the Hall of Fame