AMES — Paul Hill, of Ellsworth, was inducted into the Iowa Turkey Federation Hall of Fame at the annual Turkey Day Convention on Dec.7 in Des Moines.

The Hill family began raising turkeys in 1947, and in 1957 the Hills started raising some of the first breeder turkeys in Iowa.

Paul Hill attended college at St. Olaf where he obtained his degree in economics before doing mission work in Thailand. He also became a member of the National Guard at that time.

In 1967, Hill returned to Ellsworth to raise crops, cattle and turkeys. He has processed turkeys with Land O’ Lakes, Thompson Industry, Bil Mar Foods, Sara Lee, Louis Rich, and now West Liberty Foods.

Hill also worked with 46 other farmers in the Iowa Turkey Growers Cooperative to form West Liberty Foods. and also served as the chairman of the board for West Liberty Foods.

He also served as the chairman of the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association. In 2008, as president of the National Turkey Federation, Hill presented President George W. Bush with the traditional Thanksgiving turkey.