Don Butler, director of government relations and public affairs for Murphy-Brown LLC, the livestock production subsidiary of Smithfield Foods Inc., was elected president of the National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) during Pork Industry Forum in Dallas, March 5-7.

Butler has served on various NPPC committees, is past president of the North Carolina Pork Council and past chairman of the Animal Agriculture Alliance. He has served in leadership positions with the North Carolina Agribusiness Council, the American Pheasant and Waterfowl Society, and the Sampson, NC Friends of Agriculture.

“Don has been a strong leader in the U.S. pork industry and brings the unique perspective of a government relations-public affairs professional to dealing with the challenges our industry faces,” said NPPC CEO Neil Dierks. “He will be a good leader for NPPC as he works on behalf of America’s pork producers.”