Lyle Pugh’s service as the Virginia Corn Board’s representative to the U.S. Grains Council is an outstanding example of dedicated service not just to Virginia’s corn farmers but to U.S. agriculture and to the foreign populations it feeds.

Pugh passed away on July 6, but his contributions will not be forgotten, according to USGC President and CEO Tom Sleight, who traveled with Pugh on the Council’s 1997 Pioneer Mission to Argentina and Brazil.

“Lyle was enthusiastic, upbeat, and always willing to step up to the plate and contribute,� according to Sleight. “With all his other commitments, he still found time to serve for 25 years on behalf of Virginia’s corn farmers.

“He was a positive presence on behalf of the Council, even when conditions were difficult,� Sleight said, remembering when the 1997 mission was caught in a general strike in Rosario, Argentina.

Pugh, who joined the Council’s board of delegates in 1982 and served through 2010, traveled to 13 foreign countries to promote corn exports. He also attended an exceptional number of USGC membership and Board meetings.

“Membership dollars may pay for our programs, but it’s the quality of member leadership and involvement that drives the Council,� said Sleight. “Lyle Pugh stands out not only for the length of his involvement but for the personal qualities and leadership he brought to every Council meeting.

“He is truly one of the people who made us what we are.�

In addition to his leadership at the Council, Pugh farmed for 60 years and served on the Colonial Farm Credit Board, the Virginia Agribusiness Council, and the Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District. He was president of the Virginia Corn Growers, the Virginia Corn Board, and, most recently, the Chesapeake Farm Bureau.

He is survived by Margaret, his wife of 42 years, and by four children and six grandchildren.

Condolences may be shared with the family at www.altmeyer.com.