[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 19 (Monday, February 23, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S1455-S1456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       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.

[[Page S1456]]

  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.

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