Edward Hall Covell Jr. died on November 22, in Towson, Maryland. He was 92. Covell served on the National Chicken Council (then the National Broiler Council) board of directors from 1958 to 1982 and served three terms as its chairman. He was also an honorary life-time member of NCC.
In 1945, Covell founded the Willis and Covell Company, a farm supply, feed, seed and grain company in Denton, Maryland. He served as its president until 1958 when it merged with J. McKenny Willis and Sons, Inc. He remained president of Bayshore Foods, Inc., until 1979 when at that time it became a subsidiary of Kane-Miller Corp. As companies merged, he became vice president at Country Pride Foods Limited, managing the Delmarva division. In 1980, he became vice president of ConAgra’s Poultry Division. In 1982, he started The Covell Company serving as a governmental and industry liaison.
Covell was actively involved in public policy issues and was appointed to serve on advisory committees under a number of U.S. presidents. He served as an industry member working with the Consumer Marketing Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to formulate the regulations to implement the Poultry Product Inspections Act. The Kennedy administration appointed him to the National Broiler Advisory Committee. In 1965, he was appointed by President Johnson to the National Defense Executive Reserve (NDER) representing USDA, which was charged with preparing the United States for the aftermath of a nuclear attack. President Nixon appointed Covell to be the vice chairman for agriculture production on the White House Conference for Food, Nutrition and Health.
In additon, Governor Agnew in 1967 appointed him to serve as the chairman of the Commission in Maryland to Study the State Board of Agriculture that led to the establishment of the Maryland Agriculture Commission. Governor Mandel appointed him to be the chairman of the Governor’s Task Force on Agriculture that eventually created the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
Covell also was the recipient of numerous awards including the National Broiler Council Award for Outstanding Leadership in the field of government relations for the council, the Delmarva Distinguished Citizen Award, and the Scofield Trophy for Leadership in Maryland’s Poultry Industry. He was the recipient of the Workhorse of the Year Award in 1972, presented by the Southeastern Poultry and Egg Association. In 1974, he received a Resolution from the Maryland Agriculture Commission for his guidance in the agriculture field in the six years serving on the commission and also as their chairman. He was also inducted into the Poultry Hall of Fame in 1998. In 2004, NCC honored him as one of the 13 Broiler Industry Pioneers at NCC’s 50th Anniversary celebration.
Covell was a co-founder and president of the Eastern Shore Grain and Feed Dealers Association as well as a director of the Poultry and Egg National Board. He was a director and president of the Delmarva Poultry Industry, Inc. and served for several years as chairman of the legislative committee. He was a past member of the Maryland Agriculture Advisory Board, the Northeastern Poultry Producers Association, the American Poultry and Hatchery Federation, and life member of the American Poultry Historical Society.
He is survived by his wife Joyce Q. Covell of Towson; two sons, Richard P. Covell of Easton, Edward H. Covell III “Ned” of Salisbury; one daughter Linda C. Reilly, one step-daughter Jill Baer; and two grandchildren. Ed was preceded in death by his first wife of almost 50 years Elizabeth “Betsy” M. Covell and his brother John Willis Covell.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The National Boy Scouts of America Foundation, 1325 W. Walnut Lane, Irvin, Texas 75015-2079 or the Talbot Hospice Foundation, 586 Cynwood Drive Easton, MD 21601 or to the charity of your choice. For online tributes, please visit www.fhnfuneralhome.com.
