Dr. Carl V. Feaster
Tempe - Maricopa County
Inducted in 2014
"Carl, together with Ed Turcotte, built the basic Pima germ plasma that our present-day Pima cotton programs are built upon," Dr. David M Anderson, Head of Research and Development Phytogen Seed Co. and global leader for cotton breeding for Dow Agro Sciences.
His peers acknowledge Dr. Carl V. Feaster as a father of the US American Pima Cotton breeding. His more than 50 years of work as a research Agronomist, professor of plant science at the University of Arizona, and research leader of the cotton breeding and production unit of the USDA in Phoenix have gained him national and international recognition.
Born in Monon, Indiana, on August 11, 1921, Dr. Feaster moved to Tempe in 1956 to head the USDA's Pima Cotton Improvement Program. His job was to head a team to develop new and improved varieties of American Pima Cotton. Through his work, several new and improved varieties of cotton were developed and released, substantially increasing the yield quality of American Pima Cotton.
According to a résumé of his accomplishments, Dr. Feaster cooperated in ergonomic studies, which led to better cultural practices for improved varieties, and then genetic studies, which led to the discovery and description of an abnormal reproduction process called seminary, which provided a unique breeding method for significantly reducing the time required to breed commercial varieties of cotton.
Throughout his professional career, Dr. Feaster was focused on his chosen field. Although he worked with soybeans and hemp, he worked predominantly with American Pima cotton. His efforts garnered him international recognition.
Before coming to Arizona, Dr. Feaster worked for the USDA in Missouri, Kentucky, and Maryland. His journey to Arizona in 1956 marked a significant turning point in his career. He became a professor at the University of Arizona, a position he held until 1994. During this time, he was the research leader of the USDA's Phoenix cotton breeding and production unit. In 1984, he added the role of research consultant for Supima, an association that promoted American Pima cotton in the United States and abroad, to his résumé. He traveled the world, presenting papers, making presentations, and inviting textile companies to learn about American Pima Cotton. His writings on the subject have been published in numerous publications, solidifying his international impact. He retired from Supima in December 1994.
In the tribute to Dr. Feaster following his death, Jesse Curlee wrote in a prima newsletter, "It is not an exaggeration to state that there would not be an American Pima Cotton Industry or Pima Cotton production in the US if it were not for Dr. Feaster in the successful USDA Pima cotton program."
Dr. Feaster's son, Clark, remembered his father as a hard-working, well-organized man who loved what he was doing. He was a dedicated professional and a respectful mentor who valued and respected other people's way of being. His influence on future generations is a testament to his character and commitment to the Pima cotton industry.
Affiliations
California Cotton, Ginners and Growers Association
Supima Association of America — Research Consultant
Arizona Crop Improvement Association — Honorary member
Honorary academic societies: Alpha Zeta, Kappa Delta Pi, Gamma Alpha, Gamma Sigma Delta, Sigma Xi
Arizona Pure Seed Advisory Council
National Cotton Variety Testing Committee
Tecoman Winter Cotton Service Unit — Steering Committee
Pilot Spinning Working Committee
National Cotton Task Force — ARS Deputy Administrator’s Rep from the Western Region
Arizona Cotton Task Force — Co-Chair, 1975
Improvement Research Task Group — Member
Pima Cotton Breeding/National Cotton Research Review
National Research Program on Breeding and Production of Cotton
15th Annual Cotton Improvement Conference
Awards
Canvassing & Screening Committee/Cotton Genetics Research Award - 1964
USDA Outstanding Rating and Certificate of Merit
World Farm Foundation Norman E. Borlaug Award
University of Arizona Centennial Medallion Award - 1976
Arizona Cotton Growers Association Outstanding Achievement Award - 1979
First Supima Man of the Year Award-1982
University of Arizona Alumni Association Distinguished Citizen Award - 1987
University of Arizona Alumni Honorary Alumni - 1992
Cotton Genetics Research Award - 2009
