The National Pork Board (NPB) has named its first chief sustainability officer (CSO) by appointing an industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience in sustainability and environmental program leadership.

James "Jamie" Burr took the role of National Pork Board CSO on March 27. Burr leads the sustainability team of five public health, animal welfare and environmental experts tasked with advancing the pork industry's sustainability goals and metrics announced last year.

"Jamie's input has been invaluable to several key producer-funded initiatives for more than a decade," said Bill Even, National Pork Board CEO. "He's served on and chaired several Pork Board environmental and sustainability committees and task forces, so his leadership has already helped shape the industry's sustainability vision. Establishing a CSO position and adding Jamie to the team continues to demonstrate our industry's strong commitment to advancing pork sustainability."

Burr comes to the pork board from Tyson Foods, where he recently served as director of environmental compliance and was the environmental lead for all of Tyson's live-animal production businesses. Prior to that role, he led several environmental, safety, health and sustainability teams since joining the company in 1999. Notably, he led the development of Tyson's greenhouse gas science-based target, as well as its deforestation and land-stewardship targets.

Burr earned a Master of Science in soil science and Bachelor of Science in agronomy from Missouri State University. Before his formal education, he gained valuable experience for his new role, growing up on a hog farm and in a sale barn in southern Missouri. 

"It's an honor for me to lead this team and take on the responsibility of shaping and sharing the industry's sustainability story," said Burr. "We have bold goals and metrics that producers have laid out for us, and I look forward to working with the staff and the board to meet and report on those efforts."

Burr's previous experience puts him in a unique position to be an advocate to producers and for the industry, Even noted.

"The CSO role serves as a conduit between producers, supply chain partners, Wall Street investors and consumers," said Even. "Jamie knows and has worked with all these audiences. He understands the business, he understands the consumer, and knows the importance of building relationships among all stakeholders along the supply chain."

Source: National Pork Board