L.B. ‘Bernie’ Daniels, retired UADA professor, remembered for teaching, fundraising and more
Aug. 14, 2026
By the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Daniels served UA System nearly 40 years
- Was instrumental in fundraising for multiple UA institutions
- Daniels’ son, grandson also UADA faculty
(488 words)
Download photo of Daniels
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — L.B. “Bernie” Daniels, who retired from the University of Arkansas in 2001 as a faculty member in the department of animal science, died in Fayetteville on July 13. He was 85.
A native of Thornton, Arkansas, who worked on his family’s farm in Fordyce, Daniels joined the university as a faculty member in 1969 as part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and what is now known as the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.
Daniels became a professor in 1979 and served as associate director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture, for 10 years. He also served as interim dean of the College of Agriculture before returning to the faculty and teaching.
Daniels taught more than 5,000 students in classes ranging from Introduction to Animal Sciences to Neonatal Physiology and Bio-Energetics. He was the major advisor to 44 graduate students and mentored another 66 as part of their committees. He published more than 70 peer-reviewed research articles and helped advance the understanding of ruminant nutrition for dairy and beef cattle. In all, Daniels served the University of Arkansas System for almost 40 years.
Daniels was instrumental in fundraising for several university projects, including the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, the UA Center for Advanced Spatial Technology, the Rosen Center, the Center for Advanced Spatial Technologies, the USDA-ARS Rice Germplasm Center at Stuttgart and the Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center in Fayetteville. He aided in the development of the food safety consortium among the University of Arkansas, Iowa State University and Kansas State University and provided leadership to numerous regional and national agricultural organizations, including the Rural Policy Research Institute, the American Agricultural Research Institute and Agricenter International.
Daniels was inducted into the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame as a member of Class XXXII in 2019.
Daniels graduated from Thornton High School in 1958 and began college at Southern State College, now known as Southern Arkansas University. He earned his bachelor’s degree in animal nutrition in 1962 and master’s degree in animal physiology in 1963 from the University of Arkansas before earning his doctorate at the University of Missouri in 1969.
After earning his master’s degree, Daniels worked with the Cooperative Extension Service as an assistant agent in Desha County. He was transferred to Little River County as an agent, where Ralph Williams, then the extension dairy specialist, convinced him to return to school for his Ph.D., leading to an assistant professor position in 1969.
Daniels and his wife of 63 years, Jean Ann, had three children — Michael, Michelle and Missy — all of whom earned doctorate degrees. Two earned Ph.D.s in agricultural disciplines and one in early childhood development. Mike Daniels is a Distinguished Professor of crop, soil and environmental sciences with the Division of Agriculture in Little Rock. A grandson, Bryce Daniels, is an assistant professor of health with the Cooperative Extension Service.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture. For more information about Bumpers College, visit our website, and follow us on Twitter at @BumpersCollege and Instagram at BumpersCollege.
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 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.
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Media Contact:
Ryan McGeeney
rmcgeeney@uada.edu
501-671-2120