Following graduation from the Ontario Agricultural College, Dr. Barton was summoned to Macdonald College where he served as a lecturer in Animal Husbandry, later as head of that department and eventually as Dean of Agriculture. Being an outstanding teacher, he made a profound impression on all who attended his lectures.

Never satisfied with mere pedigrees as a badge of merit, he was a vigorous advocate of production records for dairy cattle. Because of his preoccupation in this field and his reputation as a judge, he was chosen to inaugurate the new Ayr Show in Scotland where the practice of placing animals on type and performance was initiated.

Called to Ottawa in 1932, he served as Canada’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture during two critical periods of our history – the Depression of the 1930s and the Second World War. His leadership capabilities were ably displayed during both periods.

In the latter years of the war, Dr. Barton served as Canada’s representative on the combined food board; and in the post war years played an important role in founding The Food and Agriculture Organization, and in shaping its policies for supplying food to the needy people of the world.