John Clark Receives American Society for Horticultural Science Lifetime Achievement Award

The American Society for Horticultural Science recently honored John Clark, a Distinguished Professor emeritus of horticulture for the U of A Division of Agriculture, with one of its first Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Internationally known for his work in fruit breeding with the Division of Agriculture's research arm, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Clark has served in many roles with the American Society for Horticultural Science since becoming a member in 1980, including associate editor of its journal, research division vice president and society president.

Over the course of his 42-plus-year career with the Division of Agriculture, Clark was the developer or co-developer of over 80 varieties of fruit, including the first primocane-fruiting blackberries, Prime-Jim® and Prime-Jan®. The award recognizes exceptional career-long contributions to horticultural science through research, teaching, leadership and service.

"Few people leave a program stronger than they found it, and John Clark has done exactly that," said Margaret Worthington, associate professor of horticulture and Clark's successor as director of the experiment station's Fruit Breeding Program. "I had the privilege of working alongside John for six years and benefited enormously from his mentorship. His legacy extends far beyond the remarkable cultivars he developed."

Worthington, who also teaches courses for the Department of Horticulture in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the U of A, said Clark also "strengthened an already outstanding breeding program by building innovative intellectual property and public-private partnerships that helped ensure the genetic advances developed through the program reached growers and had a lasting impact."

Clark was one of two inaugural recipients of the Lifetime Achievement Award, established in 2025 and presented for the first time in Dallas at the society's Aug. 3-7 annual conference. Robert Smock, formerly of Cornell University, was honored posthumously.

Founded in 1903, the American Society for Horticultural Science is recognized worldwide as one of the most respected and impactful professional societies for horticultural scientists. The group of over 2,400 members supports national and international advancements in research, education, communication and leadership in all branches of horticulture.

"What an honor," Clark said in comments to the society. "I want to compliment all the members and leaders of ASHS for keeping the society viable and innovative. Student involvement is key to mentoring the next generation toward ASHS involvement. Quality meetings, quality journals, career opportunities — these are major items that ASHS has been and continues to be all about." 

Growing Beyond Fruit Breeding

Reflecting on his experiences with the society, Clark said his involvement helped expand his interests beyond fruit breeding and deepened his understanding of horticulture's place in American agriculture and public policy.

He encouraged current students and professionals to embrace the breadth of horticultural science and the relationships formed through professional societies, advice he said echoed what he once received from Stephen Myers, former head of the Department of Horticulture at the U of A. Myers offered the guidance after Clark had spent the first 15 years of his ASHS membership and career "intensely focused" on fruit breeding and genetics. 

"He told me that I needed to show more leadership in the department," Clark said. "I didn't know what in the devil he was talking about. But, over time, I figured it out. What he was telling me was that I needed to broaden my interests beyond just my small area of research. This advice proved to be monumental in my reviewing and shifting my horticultural perspective."

Clark first looked to turfgrass science, which had been moved into the Department of Horticulture at that time, as an area to widen his perspective of horticulture. He took golf lessons to spend time with colleagues and learned firsthand what turf management was all about, he said. Later, his horticultural interests outside of fruit breeding and genetics included ornamental plants and landscaping.

Jim Moore, Clark's longtime mentor and doctoral adviser, was also credited for emphasizing the importance of professional engagement and leadership.

"Jim made it clear that ASHS membership, involvement and participation were integral to a successful career in academic research and teaching in horticulture," Clark said. "That mentoring provided a fabulous example and road map for me to follow as my career developed."

Advocating for Specialty Crops

As the society's research division vice president in 2005, Clark worked to initiate conference sessions on intellectual property rights and to advance national discussions on specialty crop research funding.

"This was about the time that 'specialty crops' were defined by Congress — a more impressive label than 'minor crops' that our horticultural crops had been known as prior," Clark said. "ASHS was working to develop a role to serve as an advocate for specialty crops. One way or the other, I ended up as the first chair of its National Issues Task Force."

Clark credited Thomas Bjorkman at the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, New York, with pushing for the society to become more involved with national policy. The vision led the society to conduct congressional visits in Washington, Clark said, with a major focus on developing ideas for the Specialty Crop Research Initiative and expanding the Specialty Crop Block Grants. 

"The SCRI and Specialty Crop Block Grants have had a tremendous impact on horticultural research," Clark said. "I smile now when I read of federal policies and agricultural support that don't just include animals and row crops, but specialty crops also. Without ASHS, I would never have had this opportunity."

To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit aaes.uada.edu. Follow the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station on LinkedIn and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

About the Division of Agriculture: The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture's mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation's historic land grant education system. 

The Division of Agriculture is one of 22 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three system campuses. 

Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.