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L.L. Murphrey, founder of the L.L. Murphrey Co. in Farmville was named to the NC Pork Hall of Fame, posthumously, by NCPC.
Mrs. Lois Barrow, Murphrey’s daughter, was presented with the award on February 5 at the Raleigh Marriott Crabtree Valley during the NCPC awards breakfast as part of the 54th Annual Pork Conference. In addition to his daughter, Murphrey’s wife, Doris, son-in-law, Larry Barrow and grandsons, Jake and Bryan Barrow also attended the breakfast.
The Hall of Fame award recognizes individuals with long and outstanding service to North Carolina’s pork industry and the N.C. Pork Council. Murphrey was selected by a committee of pork industry representatives to be the 2010 NC Pork Hall of Fame inductee.
Early in his life, Murphrey determined his future by establishing his own business. He was an agricultural entrepreneur and his business-like approach to hog production was an innovation in itself. He believed the key to success was to produce a quality product efficiently.
As a World War II veteran, Murphrey served in the U.S. Navy for almost three years. Just after leaving the Navy, in 1946, he opened a general store that focused on farm supplies.
Murphrey began his hog farming business in 1967 with his first feeder pigs and then expanded his business in 1969 by building his first slatted finishing building. Murphrey is most widely known for his pioneering foray into contract farming in the early 1970’s. Murphrey began putting sows out on contract with local farmers determined to have healthy and quality pigs to take to market.
Further supporting local farmers, Murphrey bought grain locally and used an on farm mix mill to control feed quality. In 1975 Murphrey bought a larger mill and manufactured all the feed needed for his operation.
Murphrey relied on the people in his community and county to support his business and work in his company. For this reason, Murphrey wanted to give something back. He did so by consistently providing financial support to churches, fire departments, rescue squads and community organizations.
Murphrey was a hardworking man who applied sound business principles and used common sense judgment in solving everyday problems when they surfaced in life and business. He loved the pork industry and took great pride in being part of it.
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