Interview with Charles E. Barnhart, September 23, 1997

Interview Summary

In this session, Dr. Charles E. Barnhart describes his role as dean as "the person designated to facilitate resources to optimize faculty productivity". He talks about Dr. Howard W. Beers and his importance to the University of Kentucky as well as the College of Agriculture. Barnhart discusses the need early on for the College of Agriculture to have its own computer center, rather than using the university computing center, since the Agricultural Experiment Station was the most sophisticated research unit in the University during the late 1970's. He says during this time the U.S. Department of Agriculture was shifting its policy of distributing money to agricultural experiment stations from formula method to competitive grants and contracts, and points out the administration's need to have this money in order to support hands-on equipment needs in terms of computers, research laboratories, physical facilities, as well as support for faculty members in terms of competitive salaries.

Barnhart discusses farm organizations and the relationship between the College of Agriculture and the Kentucky Farm Bureau while he was Dean, stating the Kentucky Farm Bureau Federation Board of Directors has a seat on that board designated for the Dean of Agriculture at UK. He mentions Mr. Tommy Bryant, the first Associate Director for Extension, who represented the deans of agriculture on this board for fifty years and was made Director Emeritus before Barnhart was asked by the Board to sit in that chair. Barnhart describes the purpose of the Farm Bureau, explains how it is organized, and notes that Kentucky has "one of the really great Farm Bureaus in the country due to its close, supportive role with the College of Agriculture at UK". He talks about the Farm Bureau's role in lobbying for UK in the state legislature.

Barnhart discusses the history and purpose of the National Farm Organization (NFO), the perception of its similarity to labor unions, and comments on the issue of representation of small farmers against "the groups that they feel control agriculture". He mentions that one president of the NFO was a College of Agriculture graduate. He recalls the issue of cattle trucks being shot at on Interstate 65 in the late 1960's which involved the NFO.

Interview LC Subject

Barnhart, Charles E., 1923- Barnhart, Charles E., 1923- --Interviews Kentucky Farm Bureau University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History University of Kentucky. College of Agriculture

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