LEXINGTON, Ky.— At its recent reunion celebration, the University of Kentucky Department of Animal and Food Sciences at the Martin-Gatton College of Agriculture, Food and Environment honored two leaders whose careers have strengthened poultry production, policy, education and outreach.
Dr. Ashley Peterson, National Chicken Council senior vice president of scientific and regulatory affairs, received the 2026 Animal and Food Sciences Distinguished Alumnus Award.
Dr. Anthony J. Pescatore, UK professor emeritus and longtime Extension poultry specialist, received the 2026 Animal and Food Sciences Hall of Fame Award.
The annual reunion awards recognize alumni and department leaders whose professional achievements and service have made a lasting impact on animal agriculture. Peterson and Pescatore exemplify the department’s commitment to science-based leadership and service to poultry producers in Kentucky and across the nation.
A Shelby County, Ky., native, Peterson earned a bachelor’s degree in animal science from UK in 1999 before completing graduate degrees at Michigan State University and the University of Maryland. At the National Chicken Council, based in Washington, D.C., she represents the U.S. broiler industry on food safety, poultry health and welfare, inspection, sustainability and other regulatory matters. Her career has also included work as a congressional fellow and positions in the red meat and egg industries.
Pescatore, who nominated Peterson for the award, emphasized her ability to bring scientific expertise to complex policy discussions.
“Dr. Peterson brings the voice of science to the discussion of these complicated issues,” he wrote. “Industry leaders, politicians and government agencies turn to Ashley for information and facts on the most controversial issues facing the poultry industry.”
Jamie D. Guffey, Kentucky Poultry Federation executive director, echoed that sentiment. In a letter supporting Peterson’s nomination, Guffey wrote that his organization depends on Peterson’s communications to stay informed.
Peterson said she is honored to receive this recognition from UK.
“Returning to the place that laid the foundation for my professional life underscores the influence that my mentors and experiences have had on my career,” Peterson said. “I am grateful for the opportunity to continue to serve such a critically important industry.”
Pescatore’s Hall of Fame honor recognizes nearly four decades of work advancing Kentucky’s poultry sector through Extension education, research, industry partnerships and public service. He supported the recruitment and growth of poultry operations in the state, worked on environmental and water-quality initiatives and administered Kentucky’s National Poultry Improvement Plan for 19 years. He also helped lead poultry education for students, producers and 4-H members.
In addition, Pescatore served as interim chair, associate chair and Extension coordinator for the Department of Animal and Food Sciences. He managed the UK Alltech Alliance for Nutritional Research, which provided more than $5 million in support for poultry research, and held leadership roles with the Poultry Science Association, Federation of Animal Science Societies and World’s Poultry Science Association-USA Branch.
According to nominator Mike Ford, a UK poultry research specialist, Pescatore was a “driving force” behind poultry becoming Kentucky’s top agricultural commodity and eventually exceeding $1 billion in annual sales.
“For almost forty years, Dr. Pescatore has been the heart and soul of the Kentucky poultry industry,” Ford said.
For Pescatore, the honor carries personal meaning.
“When you look at the members of the Hall of Fame, you see people who impacted my career and were the titans in animal agriculture when I came to the Commonwealth,” Pescatore said. “It is truly humbling to be considered a member of this group.”
To learn more about the UK Department of Animal and Food Sciences, visit https://afs.mgcafe.uky.edu.
