The George B. Babcock Agribusiness Scholarship Endowment was created by Beverly D. Babcock West, in 2022 in memory of her late husband. This endowment is to provide scholarships to upperclassman in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics majoring in Agribusiness.

A native of Dallas, Texas, George Bounds Babcock grew up on a citrus and vegetable farm near Harlingen, Texas. He was a 1955 graduate of what was then known as Texas A & I University in Kingsville, Texas.

After service in the US Army, George joined Asgrow Seed Company as district sales representative and soon joined the Texas Planting Seed Association as the West Texas division manager in 1961, when he moved with his family to Lubbock, Texas. In Lubbock, George initiated the program and provided leadership for the organization of Growers' Seed Association. He became its chief executive officer, serving as both executive vice president and general manager in 1965 holding that position until 1981.

During his illustrative career, George was the director of the Texas Federation of Cooperatives and the FFR Cooperative, a plant breeding organization. He was the chairman of the legislative committee of the Texas Seed Trade Association. George Babcock was also the chairman of the Committee on Cooperation between American Seed Trade Association and the Official Seed Certifying Agencies. George represented the United States Department of Agriculture and the American Seed Trade Association on an assignment in Eastern Europe. He was president of the Texas Certified Seed Producers and the Texas Federation of Cooperatives, an organization which named him “1979 Cooperator of the Year.” In 1980, George received the Texas Tech University Gerald W. Thomas Outstanding Agriculturalist Award, an honor that was particularly appreciated by him having made his home in the Lubbock community for the previous 20 years.

George Babcock's international agribusiness efforts were instrumental in the initiation of the cotton industry in Spain with a cotton gin being dismantled in West Texas and reassembled in the central area of their country. As the new industry blossomed under George's leadership, it was evident that the cotton varieties developed in West Texas were a perfect match for the Spaniard Iberian agricultural regions.

In 1983 George purchased Big Crop Seed Company and also acquired Summit Seed Company in 1984. He ran both companies until his death in 1991.

As evident, George's life work in agribusiness spanned worldwide. From West Texas and the surrounding areas to Mexico, Western and Eastern Europe, South Africa and South America, George Babcock made a lasting impact in the field. This agribusiness scholarship is to remember his legacy and to help Texas Tech University students to follow in his footsteps.

To support this scholarship, “Give Now” online.

 

Contact

Alex Yack
Alex.Yack@ttu.edu
Senior Director of Development
806.742.2802

Matt Williams
matt.williams@ttu.edu
Associate Director of Development
806.742.2802

Tanner Rex
tanner.rex@ttu.edu
Assistant Director of Development
806.742.2802