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H. R. No. 143 *HR43/R2758* ~ OFFICIAL ~ N1/2
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To: Rules
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE REGULAR SESSION 2026
By: Representatives Hines, Bailey (49th)
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 143
A RESOLUTION COMMENDING AND CONGRATULATING MR. ARCHIE TUCKER 1
UPON HIS RETIREMENT FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF 2
AGRICULTURE'S AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE AFTER 51 YEARS OF 3
PUBLIC SERVICE. 4
WHEREAS, Mr. Archie Tucker, the first African American in the 5
history of the United States Department of Agriculture's 6
Agricultural Research Service to hold the positions of Area 7
Administrative Officer and Deputy Area Director, is being honored 8
and celebrated upon the special occasion of his retirement after 9
51 years of public service; and 10
WHEREAS, Mr. Tucker, a native of Leland, Mississippi, began 11
his illustrious career with the United States Department of 12
Agriculture (USDA) as an inquisitive 16-year-old high school 13
student who worked as a part-time biological aide in the Southern 14
Insect Management Research Unit at the USDA's Agricultural 15
Research Service (ARS) in Stoneville, Mississippi; and 16
WHEREAS, after graduating from Leland High School, Mr. Tucker 17
earned a bachelor of science degree in business administration 18
from Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) and then 19
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flourished over the next 51 years making contributions at ARS in 20
Stoneville, where he climbed the ranks to serve in the following 21
positions: Biological Laboratory Technician, Area Property 22
Management Officer, Assistant Area Director, Deputy Area Director, 23
Area Administrative Officer, Associate Area Director and Area 24
Director; and 25
WHEREAS, in addition to his bachelor of science degree from 26
MVSU, Mr. Tucker completed extensive management training at the 27
American Management Association, the USDA Graduate School and the 28
Key Executive Leadership Training Program at American University 29
in Washington, D.C.; and 30
WHEREAS, as the Area Director of ARS, Mr. Tucker effectively 31
managed and provided leadership and operational accountability for 32
the following areas: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, 33
Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, 34
Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands - all which included 27 35
research locations, 60 research units, approximately 1,542 36
employees, of which 582 were PhD scientists, and he managed an 37
annual budget of $350 million dollars; and 38
WHEREAS, known for his people skills and programmatic 39
knowledge, Mr. Tucker has received a plethora of awards, some of 40
which include: the 2024 A.L. Vandergriff Cotton Pioneer Award 41
from the Southern Cotton Ginners Association; the 2022 42
Presidential Rank Award, which is the highest award a federal 43
civilian employee can receive; 2005 Distinguished Alumni Award as 44
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well as the Dr. James Herbert White Preeminence Award for 45
Achievement in Excellence from his beloved alma mater, MVSU; and 46
the Bethune-Carver-Dewey Education Legacy Award from the 47
Southeastern Society of Minorities in Engineering; and 48
WHEREAS, Mr. Tucker also received the following honors: the 49
2014 ARS Administrative and Program Management Award for 50
Leadership; 2014 Federal Laboratory Consortium for Outstanding 51
Accomplishments in STEM Education Support Award; the 2015 Abraham 52
Lincoln Award for exceptional achievement and outstanding 53
contributions to American agriculture; the 2017 Leland Chamber of 54
Commerce Achievement Award and the 2019 Delta Council Achievement 55
Award for outstanding contributions to aquaculture; and 56
WHEREAS, notably, although Mr. Tucker has worn many hats over 57
the years at the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, during the 58
1999-2000 school year, he was selected by the State Board of 59
Education as the Parent of the Year for the State of Mississippi, 60
which is a wonderful testament of his ability to balance career 61
and family; and 62
WHEREAS, additionally, Mr. Tucker, whose impressive ability 63
to treat everyone the same and give them the same level of 64
attention and respect - no matter if an individual was a janitor 65
at one of his facilities or the Secretary of Agriculture - truly 66
served as one of his many hallmarks that penetrated his successful 67
career and caused him to garner undeniable respect from all who 68
were blessed to work with him; and 69
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ST: Archie Tucker; commend upon retirement from
the United States Dept. of Agriculture after 51
years of public service.
WHEREAS, throughout his endeavors, Mr. Tucker has been 70
lovingly supported by his beautiful wife of 44 years, Beryl Amos 71
Tucker; their children, Dr. Archie Tucker II, who is married to 72
Veronica, and Ashley Patterson, who is married to Ken, as well as 73
his precious grandchildren, Jordan and Austin Tucker and Alana and 74
Morgan Patterson; and 75
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the House of Representatives to 76
honor a great Mississippian such as Mr. Archie Tucker who is a 77
well-respected legend among USDA employees - not only in 78
Stoneville but across the United States - who has faithfully 79
served as a mentor and provided invaluable advice and leadership 80
in his venerable roles within the USDA's Agricultural Research 81
Service: 82
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF 83
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, That we do hereby 84
commend and congratulate Mr. Archie Tucker upon the special 85
occasion of his retirement from the United States Department of 86
Agriculture after 51 years of public service, and wish him 87
continued success in all his future endeavors. 88
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be 89
furnished to Mr. Archie Tucker and to the members of the Capitol 90
Press Corps. 91