By John L. Moore
THE MORNING NEWS

Marvin Childers stands in a Springdale office building as a photographer snaps a half-dozen pictures of him. White shirt, gray slacks, firm posture.

Childers crosses his arm, projects confidence: an image of a lawyer and legislator is apparent. Less apparent, but maybe as important to his current job, are his country boy roots.

Childers is just a few months removed from taking over as president and chief lobbyist of The Poultry Federation, an industry-created group that acts as a lobbyist, information source and general booster for the poultry industry in Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma.

The poultry industry employs 80,000 to 100,000 people in Arkansas at any given time and has a payroll of more than $2 billion dollars. It hires or contracts with everyone from farmers, truck drivers and factory workers to accountants, lawyers, scientists and executives.

"In a political world the industry has to make certain the value of those jobs and revenue is seen and that the industries protect those jobs," Childers said.

With environmental, labor and food safety issues all in the national spotlight recently, Childers job will be a challenging one in the next year.

ROW CROPPER

Childers grew up in Cooter, Mo., population 414, just across the stateline from Blytheville. Both his parents and grandparents on his fathers side were row croppers, and he warms up when he starts talking about his childhood.

Growing up on a farm and working alongside his father taught him that hard work always pays off.

"I started out as a true lover of agriculture. Until my second year of college, there was no doubt I would farm," Childers said. "Then my brother switched his major, and when my father retired, he decided to go into farming."

So Childers got a degree in accounting and went to law school -- the military, ministry and law having long been a haven for the second sons of land owners.

The first chicken house Childers remembers was his family's chicken coop, but he didn't see the inside of an industrial-strength poultry operation until he took on the job with the federation.

After earning the accounting degree from Arkansas State University and the law degree from the University of Arkansas, Childers said he knew he was going home to practice in Blytheville.

While in college, Childers read one of the most important books in the development of his career: How to Win Friends and Influence People, by Dale Carnegie.

"That book taught me to try to be a better listener. Sometimes, I have to go back and relearn that," he said.

During those early days as a lawyer, Childers discovered his 20-plus year love affair with golf.

"It is one of those games that very few master, but it is addictive," he said.

Childers said, like many young professionals, he started playing golf as a way to meet people and network. But the challenge of the game eventually made him a lifelong player.

The chance to socialize and reduce stress is still the main reason he plays, he said.

POLITICAL CHANGE

Eventually, the lawyering got him a job with the prestigious Little Rock-based Friday law firm. He worked in Blytheville for the firm for a few years, but the accounting knowledge and litigation experience as a prosecutor early in his career made him a good fit to work for the firm in Little Rock where he litigated tax and contract cases.

After the time in Little Rock and getting a close up view of the workings of the capital, he decided on public office. After winning a seat in the legislature and serving three terms, he knew he wanted to stay involved with government work in some way, but was term limited on running for another house seat. He thought about government relations.

As so often happens in Little Rock, career changes come after elections. One politician is voted or leaves because of term limits and another takes their place. The election of Mike Beebe to Governor signaled that change for Childers.

Morril Harriman, a former legislator and friend of Childers, had been president of the federation for several years.

Harriman left the federation to become Beebe's chief of staff and on the way out recommended a list of possible people who could take his place.

Childers was on that list.

"We were looking for someone who had a lot of the same characteristics as Morril (Harriman) and Marvin fit that bill. So far, he has not disappointed us," said Archie Schaffer III, a spokesman for Tyson Foods Inc. and a former chairman of the federation.

The job has had to take on more administrative and executive functions following the merge of the Arkansas, Missouri and Oklahoma poultry federations, Schaffer said.

Childers background was a good fit for the enhanced role, he said.

"I was on the hiring committee that chose Marvin. The fact that he was very aware of the situations from a legislative standpoint that are coming out of the agricultural sector was important," said Gary Murphy, president of the poultry operations for Siloam Springs-based Simmons Foods Inc.

Murphy said what really struck him in interviewing and meeting with Childers was his sincerity in the way he approached people and his job.

INDUSTRY ISSUES

As Northwest Arkansas' population boom progresses, farmers are choosing to sell their land for development, Childers said.

"From the 1960s to the 1980s we had tremendous growth in the poultry industry and that growth has leveled off for the region," Childers said. "I think we may even see production get smaller and when that happens, we have to work smarter," he said.

Environmental concerns have become a focus industry wide, Childers said.

Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson sued eight poultry companies and six of their subsidiaries in June 2005 over poultry litter in the Illinois River watershed.

"As an industry we have to continue to do what we can to protect the environment. The federation, under Morril's leadership, was great in taking a proactive approach to support legislation to protect the environment," Childers said.

In 2003, the Arkansas legislature adopted three key laws to control nutrient application in the state, especially the use of poultry litter in areas such as the Illinois River basin that are classified as nutrient surplus areas.

Childers took a firm stance against Edmondson's lawsuit citing the work the poultry industry and Arkansas has done at managing poultry litter application in the area and promoting and supporting best management practices.

Childers said the industry and the federation also has to look for creative ways to deal with poultry litter and rising fuel costs.

He said he was very interested in promoting alternative uses for poultry litter including using the litter to burn for fuel to create electricity.

A pilot project in Oklahoma is underway to explore that option, he said.

A Few Things To Know About Marvin Childers, president of The Poultry Federation

Caffeine of Choice: Iced Tea, sweet

What I Do When I Have A Few Hours To Kill On A Sunday Afternoon: Play golf

Books That Changed My Life: Holy Bible, How To Win Friends And Influence People

What I Wish I Had More Time For: Travel and flying planes

What I learned from Mom: "You can do anything you set your mind to do."

What I learned from Dad: "Hard work always pays off."

Vital Stats

Age: 46

Married: December, 1994

Wife: Charisse Childers

No Children

Residence: Little Rock, Arkansas

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Contact: Paulette Binkley
The Poultry Federation
321 South Victory
Little Rock, AR 72201
Phone: 501.375.8131 or
Ken Prim
OK Farms
Fort Smith, AR
Phone: 479.783.3451