Tom Fairchild, longtime UNH Cooperative Extension dairy specialist and 4-H supporter, will be presented with the Friend of 4-H Award during the 4-H Foundation of New Hampshire’s fall meeting October 18.

“The award celebrates Tom’s love for kids, cows, and 4-H,” said Wendy Brock, who heads the UNH Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Development program. “It isn’t presented every year, but when the Foundation deems that an individual or group has provided outstanding volunteer, financial, or technical program support to the 4-H Youth Development program over several years. Tom Fairchild meets all three criteria.”

Called “the conscience of the state’s 4-H network” and “a New Hampshire agricultural icon,” Fairchild has worked with two generations of New Hampshire 4-H families. “Tom is certainly worthy of this recognition,” said recently retired UNH dairy specialist John Porter. “He’s been close to our farm families and advised them in their dairy management decisions as well as helping their children go on to UNH to further their education.”

A 1959 UNH graduate, Fairchild spent his career at the university. Over the years he served as an Extension dairy specialist, a UNH professor, chairperson of the department of animal and nutritional sciences, dean of the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture, and interim UNH president.

He was instrumental in leading the fundraising effort to build the $1.6 million dairy teaching and research center, which UNH named the Thomas P. Fairchild Dairy Teaching and Research Center in his honor.
 
After his stint as interim president ended in 1995, Fairchild returned to the UNH faculty and co-founded the university’s nationally recognized CREAM (Cooperative for Real Education in Agricultural Management) Program, a hands-on course for dairy and non-dairy students to assume management responsibilities for the UNH dairy herd.

UNH has previously honored him for his achievements with the Alumni Affairs Award for Excellence in Public Service, the College of Life Sciences and Agriculture’s Teaching Excellence Award. He also was presented the 2001 Distinguished Service Award by the Northeastern Section of the American Society of Animal Sciences.

As chairman of the 4-H Foundation Board, in 2002 Fairchild led the group through a successful Centennial Campaign to raise an additional $100,000 for the Foundation. His efforts helped move the board into active fundraising activities and broaden the Foundation’s scope to support all areas of the 4-H youth development program.

“Tom has always promoted the 4-H program as a place for youth and adults to work together for common goals and new adventures,” said Tom Frangione, chair of the 4-H Foundation of N.H. “Even though he has retired, Tom helps present dairy judging clinics, serves as a resource whenever called upon, and encourages others in the industry to become involved in 4-H and UNH Cooperative Extension.”