Tribute to Duane Halverson

TRIBUTE TO DUANE HALVERSON

Mr. GRASSLEY. Mr. President, is my great honor and pleasure to be acquainted with Duane Halverson. In his 33-year career with Land O'Lakes, he has helped sustain agriculture, independent producers, and local economies through his dedication and commitment to rural America and the cooperative way of doing business.

Through his leadership, farmers across America now control a powerhouse supplier of agricultural inputs-feed, seed, crop nutrients, and protection products as well as state-of-the art technical advice and expertise.

Duane learned his love of agriculture and the people who work in it from growing up on a family farm near Eagle Grove, IA. Like most farm kids, Duane was active in 4-H and FFA. He earned a bushel full of ribbons from showing pigs and calves, and his 4-H projects focused on helping improve his dad's hog operation.

Through 4-H and school, Duane also began honing his leadership skills. He was elected president of the Webster County Boys' 4-H Clubs, and during his senior year at Eagle Grove High School he was chosen Mr. Future Business Executive of 1963 by the Future Business Leaders of America.

It was in High school that he met his future wife Mary Voigt. They now have two sons, Christian and Nicholas, and grandson, Jon.

After high school, he headed to Iowa State University where he earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in agricultural economics.

In 1970, Duane was hired by Land O'Lakes as a corporate planner. It was there where his illustrious career began. In 1978, he was named vice president of the petroleum division-the youngest vice president in the company's history. He rose through the ranks, heading up feed, seed, agronomy, international development and member services. By 1993, he was executive vice president and managing Land O'Lakes combined ag. services and dairy foods businesses. During his 5 years at the helm, total sales of Land O'Lakes doubled.

By the time he retired in December last year, Duane had helped build one of the most dynamic cooperative business systems in the world.

Duane has dedicated his life and his career to the agriculture industry. His legacy is a strong ag-supply cooperative system owned and controlled by those who do business with Land O'Lakes. Through his leadership, America will continue to be the bread basket of the world.

All of this is why it has been an honor for me to share his accomplishments today. We thank Duane Halverson. He deserves it.