The University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service presents the Thomas Poe Cooper Farm Leadership Award each year to Kentuckians who exemplify leadership across agriculture, 4-H, family and consumer sciences or community and economic development. The award was endowed by Thomas Poe Cooper, dean of the UK Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment from 1917 to 1951.  

This year, the award was presented to Debbie Ellis for her significant impact in the Commonwealth. 

Ellis currently serves as executive director of the Kentucky Soybean Association, but her story with agriculture began on the cattle, horse and grain farm where she grew up in Lyon County. 

At the Kentucky Soybean Association, she first served as public relations director, then executive director before taking the additional role of directing the Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board. She remains the executive director of KSA and the Kentucky Soybean Promotion Board. Her colleagues and peers refer to her as a terrific spokesperson, even though her preference is to work behind the scenes, bringing local farmers into the spotlight. 

“The University of Kentucky holds a special place in my heart,” Ellis said. “I have so many fond memories of being a student and working in the weeds lab and out on the farm.” 

After finishing her degree, Ellis worked at the UK Research and Education Center at Princeton (UKREC). When the EF4 tornado struck UKREC and the UK Grain and Forage Center of Excellence in December 2021, Ellis invited UK staff to use the Kentucky Soybean facilities to house research samples, host meetings and provide temporary offices to those affected by the damage. 

“Ellis has an absolute commitment to serving and leading initiatives that will better the farming community and challenge the adoption of new ideas and technologies,” said Carrie A. Knott, UKREC director and extension associate professor at Martin-Gatton CAFE. “She passionately and firmly stands for the future of agriculture.” 

Ellis is well-respected in the agriculture community in Kentucky and nationally. In 2009, her leadership was instrumental in bringing together commodity groups, industry partners and other community leaders to form the Kentucky Livestock Coalition. The coalition’s goal is to protect and support livestock producers and promote the role of animal protein in the diets of Kentuckians. 

Outside of the agriculture space, Ellis contributes to her community as a board member of Nonnie’s Place, a short-term home for women and children escaping domestic violence. 

“I am truly blessed to work with farmers every day and so humbled to receive this award,” Ellis said. 

For more information about Extension or the Thomas Poe Cooper Farm Leadership Award, visit http://extension.ca.uky.edu/.

###         

Writer: Grace Sowards, grace.sowards@uky.edu  

The Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment is an Equal Opportunity Organization with respect to education and employment and authorization to provide research, education information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function without regard to economic or social status and will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, creed, religion, political belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, marital status, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity.