[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 28 (Thursday, March 6, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S2027]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                        FARMING THE NEW FRONTIER

 Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate a group 
of young Indiana students who have shown great educative achievement. I 
would like to bring to the attention of my colleagues the winners of 
the 1996-97 Eigth Grade Youth Essay Contest which I sponsored in 
association with the Indiana Farm Bureau and Bank One of Indianapolis. 
These students have displayed strong writing abilities and have proven 
themselves to be outstanding young Hoosier scholars. I submit their 
names for the Congressional Record because they demonstrate the 
capabilities of today's students and are fine representatives of our 
Nation.
  This year, Hoosier students wrote on the theme, ``Farming the New 
Frontier.'' Students were encouraged to consider and creatively express 
the role of Indiana agriculture in our country and in the world 
marketplace. I would like to submit for the Record the winning essays 
of Shannon McArtor of Monroe County and Kyle Roth of Pulaski County. As 
State winners of the Youth Essay Contest, these two outstanding 
students are being recognized on Friday, March 7, 1997, during a visit 
to our Nation's Capitol.
  The essays are as follows:

                        Farming the New Frontier

                          (By Shannon McArtor)

       Vegetables that grow in water? Seedless watermelon? 
     Miniature cobs of corn? Hearty soybeans? American farmers are 
     boldly going where no one has gone before!
       Biotechnology is going through major changes that will 
     affect our lives as we approach the 21st century. 
     Biotechnology will help farmers grow more, and better, crops 
     such as corn, beans, alfalfa, and wheat. The future is bright 
     for forage producers, due in part to new technology that 
     allows industries to grow bigger, tastier, and better 
     vegetables and grains.
       Biotechnology has created a hybrid of soybean that can 
     withstand certain harmful herbicides. The STS gene protects 
     soybeans from sulfonylurea herbicides only. Soybean varieties 
     with resistance to certain herbicides are now available. The 
     farmer has a choice in selecting programs to control weeds.
       Because of advances in biotechnology there are corn hybrids 
     that can resist the harsh substance called glufosinate-
     ammonium which is the active ingredient in New Liberty 
     herbicide. Biotechnology has also helped to find hybrids that 
     can resist the European corn borer. These hybrids produce a 
     gene that contains a protein that protects these plants from 
     damage caused by ECB (European corn borer). This gene 
     originated from a bacterium and originally placed in the corn 
     inbred line using techniques of biotechnology. The addition 
     of B+ gene enhances protection of crops because the plants 
     will achieve levels of insect resistance which are not 
     possible using traditional breeding methods.
       These new discoveries in farming will keep our nation 
     healthy in more than one way. It will give us an ample supply 
     of corn and beans on less acres. It will protect the vitamins 
     contained in grains and vegetables thus providing better 
     foods to eat. Biotechnology is going to make life better!
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                        Farming the New Frontier

                             (By Kyle Roth)

       Hello! Welcome to Bio Tech Laboratories. My name is Dr. 
     Bio. Tech and I will be your tour guide today as we take a 
     walk through my laboratory. Follow me while I show you just a 
     few of the interesting things we have been working on. You 
     know, biotechnology research wants to make a crop production 
     more efficient and also create new varieties of crops.
       Take a look at the tomato and potato. We have genetically 
     transferred a gene from an Arctic fish to the tomato 
     increasing its freeze tolerance. The potato has been crossed 
     with soil bacteria to make it insect resistant.
       As we go outside, Keep in mind that the world population is 
     increasing and valuable farm ground is being gobbled up by 
     land developers. We try to help farmers by developing seeds 
     that will be resistant to weeds, insects, and disease. Every 
     number that you see by this corn test plot has a different 
     ``specialty''. This one is drought resistant. Another one has 
     long full ears. That one prefers a certain soil type. Because 
     farmers feed the world, we want them to have access to global 
     positioning-farming by computer-so that they will produce 
     more food.
       Trying not to be scientific, I must say genetic engineering 
     is a very powerful tool in biotechnology. We are developing 
     new traits into crops and livestock. Vegetable crops can be 
     altered to produce vegetables that taste and look better. 
     Don't those green beans look appetizing? They also have 
     improved nutritional quality.
       Feast your eyes on that bread! The yeast has been altered 
     to make the bread taste better. With the wide variety of food 
     we have to offer, consumers can have a greater choice; and 
     because we have improved the quality and nutrients, these 
     food products are also healthier. Thanks for stopping by, and 
     try a slice of our great tasting bread on your way out!
                                  ____


                        1996-97 District Winners

       District 1: Kyle Roth, Melissa Lichtenbarger
       District 2: Ryan Johnson, Heather Butts
       District 3: Ryan Frey, Julia Pokorney
       District 4: Shawn Smith, Trisha Penner
       District 5: Timothy Heck, Marni Yeagley
       District 6: Cory Bohlander, Melissa Winebarger
       District 7: Brandon Roe, Shannon McArtor
       District 8: Thomas Naylor, Christine Jeffrey
       District 9: John Saalweachter, Christa Rentehler
       District 10: Allen Haberthier, Katrina Madden
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                         1996-97 County Winners

       Bartholomew: Peter Reichenbach, Christine Jeffrey
       Boone: Timothy Heck, Charlotte Orr
       Cass: Shawn Baker, Julia Pokorney
       Carroll: Lance Hofmann
       Dearborn: Nathan Lehn, Claire Cradler
       Decatur: David Stewart
       Delaware: Joel Rossol, Melissa Winebarger
       Fayette: Thomas Naylor
       Fulton: Johanna Martin
       Gibson: Carolyn Moseley
       Hamilton: Sam Tischfield, Natalie Templeton
       Hancock: Jimmy Asher, Heather Hobbs
       Henry: John Sweigart
       Huntington: Nathan Scheiber, Jennifer Stetzel
       Jackson: Christopher Lambring, Cheyenne Hackman
       Jay: Dustin Knipp, Tarra Rothburn
       Kosciusko: Isaac Wildman, Heather Butts
       Lake: Wesley Gordon, Mary Owen
       Madison: Cory Bohlander, Jessica Landess
       Marion: Bob Cook, Christy Utnage
       Miami: John Einselen
       Montgomery: Wes Ambrose, Marni Yeagley
       Newton: Ryan Haste
       Portor: Bryan Martinez, Allison Payer
       Posey: John Saalweachter, Jennifer Symanski
       Randolph: Wade Chalfant
       St. Joseph: Andrew Callan, Melissa Lichtenbarger
       Spencer: Carmen Dominquez
       Vanderburgh: Bradley Painter, Leslie Rudolph
       Wabash: Shawn Smith, Trisha Penner
       Warrick: Benfamin Baker, Christa Rentchler
       Wells: Jenni Mason.

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