Californian Receives AAW Veritas Award

By CnAgri2012-10-24 19:44:20 Print

American Agri-Women presents the Veritas Award annually to a person who has given public witness to "the pursuit of truth" in accordance with the principles enunciated in the AAW Statement of Philosophy, The Call to Power.

This year AAW's Veritas Award will be presented to journalist, Lee Pitts, of Los Osos, Calf., on Nov. 10 at the Annual Convention in Denver, Colo.

Pitts is a seeker of truth, who looks at the whole picture, from all angles. He has the unique ability to make a complicated issue understandable, even when controversial. For the past 40 years he has been riding herd on the agricultural industry while serving as executive editor of a weekly livestock publication, the Livestock Market Digest, headquartered in Albuquerque, N.M.

Pitts' articles have been reprinted in hundreds of newspapers and magazines and his essays were regularly recited on Paul Harvey News and Comment and National Public Radio. A collection of Lee's video essays were featured on the Voice of Agriculture television show and compiled into an hour long video, From A Western Point of View. His essays also have appeared in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series of best-selling books.

Lee Pitts is the author of 11 books including People Who Live at the End of Dirt Roads, Back Door People, The I Hate Chicken Cookbook, Essays from God's Country, A Collection of Characters and his latest, A Handmade Life. Harper Collins released Pitts' only hardback book, These Things I Wish.

Pitts graduated with an Animal Science degree from Cal Poly University in San Luis Obispo and was a Rotary International Graduate Fellow to the University of New England in Armidale, New South Wales, Australia. He has seen the highs and lows of agriculture both as a rancher and as a sheepherder.

He began his writing and speaking career while serving as the state president of the California Association of the FFA in 1970-71 and since then his work has been syndicated in publications in Italy, Australia, England and Canada as well as all parts of the U.S. For 20 years he also was a co-owner and the voice of Western Video Market, the second largest livestock auction company in the country.

Says Pitts, "In my life I have been blessed with one good wife, a marginal horse, 14 worthless dogs and a few dimwitted bosses. That's much more than any man deserves."

Previous honors include: Westerner of the Year (1999); Western Heritage Award; Livestock Marketing Association's very first "Friend of the Industry" Award; California Auction Markets Association first "Friend of the Industry" Award; R-CALF's first entrant into their Hall of Fame; and R-CALF's "Wheel Horse Award" (for journalists).

Throughout his career, Lee Pitts has exemplified the "Pursuit of Truth" ideal. It is with pleasure that the California Women for Agriculture nominate this outstanding individual for the American Agri-Women Veritas Award.

Since 1974, AAW members have worked together to educate consumers; advocate for agriculture; and provide networking and professional development opportunities. Go to the AAW web site for more information and to join, www.americanagriwomen.org.