Dr. James L. (Jim) Byford was Extension Wildlife Specialist for over 20 years in Georgia and Tennessee. Programs he initiated include the TN 4-H Wildlife Project, with over 30,000 members annually; the TN 4-H Wildlife Judging Contest that went national in 1988 (now Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Program) and was named as a National Program of Distinction; the TN 4-H Food And Cover Establishment Contest, where 4-H members grow a wildlife food plot with a free bag of seeds; and the TN 4-H Wildlife Conference that lasted for over 35 years. Jim co-chaired the Southern Region 4-H Wildlife Literature Committee. He initiated the Southern Region 4-H Wildlife Volunteer Leader Conference and later participated in over 20 such state, regional, and national conferences.
Jim was awarded the NAE4-HA Distinguished Service Award in 1979. In 1987, he became Dean of the College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences at the University of Tennessee at Martin. In that role, he was untiring in his efforts to recruit students to campus and made sure 4-H members were always welcome to events and campus visits. He often volunteered to assist with events at State 4-H Roundup by sharing stories and songs around a campfire. At UTM, he served as advisor and mentor to the Collegiate 4-H Club. Jim was recognized with the prestigious State Friend of 4-H Award in 2011. In 2014-15, he served on a task force that successfully received $15 million to purchase/build a Tennessee 4-H conference and business retreat center.
