To our NEAFA membership, we have the sad duty of sharing the recent passing of three industry leaders. Lloyd James of McDowell and Walker, Robert “Bob” Nearing Jr., former board member of Eastern Federation of Feed Merchants, NEAFA Board member, CFD and owner of Cochecton Mills, and Robert D Wellington, the long time Chief Economist at AgriMark. Each of these individuals were not only friends and colleagues, but integral parts of the growth and success seen by agribusiness in the northeast for decades. Their knowledge and commitment to our industry will be missed. Our most sincere condolences to their families.
Lloyd E. James, 87, died March 22 after a brief sickness. James was a dairy farmer and previous owner of McDowell & Walker, a feed and fertilizer manufacturer with three retail stores in Delhi, Afton and Sidney. For more information, click here.
Robert Arthur Nearing Jr., 76, passed away on March 30, 2020 and is survived by his wife of fifty years, Mary Ann (Wagner). A graduate of Mohawk Valley Community College and a United States Army veteran, Nearing joined his family business, Cocheton Mills, Inc. in Cochecton, NY for almost 50 years of service to the farming and agribusiness communities. For more information, click here.
Robert “Bob” Dwight Wellington, 65, passed away March 29, 2020. Wellington held Bachelor and Master’s Degrees in Agricultural Economics from Rutgers University, where he also taught. Wellington served numerous roles in the agricultural community, including working as a Milk Market Administrator's Officer in New York City for 11 years, where he was the Chief of Research and Senior Economist. Wellington began his 30-year career with Agri-Mark in 1989, where he was the Senior Vice President of Economics, Communications and Legislative Affairs. For more information, click here.