RECIPIENT

Donald Butler was a leader in the cattle industry for 30 years before becoming director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture in 2003. When Butler was president of the National Cattlemen’s Association, he worked with President Reagan to obtain an executive order establishing a fee structure for grazing on public lands. Under appointments from two presidents, Butler was a leader in opening world markets and negotiating trade agreements to benefit the beef industry. He served in leadership roles in the Federal Reserve Bank, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, and the National Public Lands Advisory Committee.