Meat&Poultry - October 2013 - 80

PATRICK BOYLE

years with Sen. Wilson, Boyle focused

if not for some kind words from the

something positive to the role and

on trade and immigration issues. It is

former secretary,” says Boyle, who was

Boyle says he will forever cherish the

Wilson and then-deputy secretary of

encouraged to apply for the position.

relationships he has with those indus-

agriculture, Richard Lyng, who went

Through his previous role with the

on to be appointed secretary of agri-

USDA, Boyle had worked with AMI

AMI and indeed, the industry

culture, who Boyle calls his earliest

and was very familiar with its role and

changed significantly during the

professional influences. As secretary,

respected its work. He liked the fact

past 24 years. The structure and

Lyng appointed Boyle to the position

that, unlike similar trade organiza-

role of AMI has evolved as the needs

of administrator of the USDA’s Agri-

tions, AMI member companies did

of its growing membership changed.

cultural Marketing Service.

try leaders.

not rely on governmental subsidies

“When I first started here, we had

After Boyle’s tenure with the AMS,

for its operations. Boyle says he was

vice presidents for retail marketing

then-president of AMI, C. Manly

honored to be offered the position and

and vice presidents for foodservice,”

Molpus, announced his retirement, in

didn’t take the responsibility lightly.

which were meat-based promotions

1989. A search committee was formed

“It’s an important element of the ag-

programs. In those days the associ-

to find the next president of AMI, and

ricultural economy,” he says.

ation was spending upwards of 20

as fate would have it, one of the con-

Boyle attributes much of his suc-

percent of its budget on generic meat

sultants to the committee was Boyle’s

cess at AMI to the “profoundly suc-

promotions, which dated back to the

former boss, Lyng, who also served

cessful” processors he’s been able

1950s. Under Boyle, those resources

as AMI president in the 1970s, just

to work alongside. He says the best

were shifted to areas where new de-

before Molpus. “I’m quite confident

part of his job is working with a new

mand existed, which in the early 90s

that I would not have been the choice

chairman each year. All 24 brought

were compliance with regulatory issues. “We have evolved as the industry has evolved around us,” he says.
In the early 90s, Boyle had been at
the helm of AMI just over three years
when the infamous, Jack in the Box E.
coli O157:H7 outbreak began unfolding. He categorizes the incident as “a
tragedy of enormous proportions,”
adding that then-Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Espy was just days into
his new role when the outbreak was
identified. Boyle recalls a subsequent
Congressional hearing in Washington
state in the aftermath of the outbreak
that was one of the more moving and
emotional hearings he was ever a part
of, given the number of family and
loved ones of victims talking from the

“If you show up and
make your case in a
reasonable manner,
you might be able to
impact the outcome
of a story.”
80 • Meat&Poultry • October 2013 • www.MeatPoultry.com

heart about their losses. Boyle, too, testified at the hearing to address steps
the industry needed to take to avoid
future tragedies. After watching the
local TV news coverage of the hearing that night, which Boyle says was
quite balanced and fair, he learned a

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