[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 40 (Friday, March 26, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Pages S3210-S3211]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                TRIBUTE TO HOOSIER ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS

 Mr. LUGAR. Mr. President, today I wish to share with my 
colleagues the winners of the 2003-2004 Dick Lugar/Indiana Farm Bureau/
Farm Bureau Insurance Companies Youth Essay Contest.
  In 1985, I joined with the Indiana Farm Bureau to sponsor an essay 
contest for 8th grade students in my home state. The purpose of this 
contest was to encourage young Hoosiers to recognize and appreciate the 
importance of Indiana agriculture in their lives and subsequently, 
craft an essay responding to the assigned theme. I, along with my 
friends at the Indiana Farm Bureau and Farm Bureau Insurance Companies, 
am pleased with the annual response to this contest and the quality of 
the essays received over the years.
  I congratulate Elizabeth A. Mercer, of Boone County, and Eric Webb, 
of Johnson County, as winners of this year's contest, and I ask that 
the complete text of their respective essays for the Record. Likewise, 
I ask that the names of all of the district and county winners of the 
2003-2004 Dick Lugar/Indiana Farm Bureau/Farm Bureau Insurance 
Companies Youth Essay Contest.
  The material follows:

                Grocery Shopping Starts on Hoosier Farms

                 (By Elizabeth A. Mercer--Boone County)

       Indiana farms have a part in many food items around the 
     world. Without farmers our country, even our world, would be 
     starving. In the past, I knew that farmers were a big part of 
     the ``Food Chain.'' Being a daughter of a farmer, I have 
     learned that farmers begin the ``Food Chain.''
       Starting my journey through the grocery store, I realize 
     Hoosier farms are in all parts of the store. In the produce 
     section, Hoosier farms raise celery, carrots, broccoli, 
     cabbage, green beans, lettuce, peas, squash, cucumbers, 
     zucchini, sweet corn, apples, potatoes, watermelons, 
     cantaloupe, strawberries, tomatoes, and pumpkins. Produce 
     grown by Indiana farmers is a crop, which adds value and 
     income to their farming operation.
       Another section of the grocery store is the meat section. 
     Meats produced in Indiana are beef, pork, chicken, turkey, 
     elk, buffalo, sheep, fish, and duck. Indiana is the number 
     one state in the USA for duck production.
       In the baking aisle corn syrup, corn meal, and corn oil are 
     produced from corn of Indiana farmers. Half of Indiana's corn 
     is raised for animal feed. A large portion of the remainder 
     is used to produce high fructose corn syrup. Corn syrup is 
     used in soft drinks, fruit juices, sport drinks, and canned 
     fruits.
       Indiana soybeans are processed into soybean oil. Soybean 
     oil is used in many baked goods such as breads, cakes, snack 
     cakes, chips, and cookies.
       Wheat grown in Indiana is soft red winter wheat. Contrary 
     to popular belief, bread is not made from Indiana wheat. 
     Indiana wheat is used to produce pastas.
       From now on, when I walk through the grocery store I will 
     know Hoosier farms have made a difference in the food supply 
     for our country and our world. I am proud to say, ``My dad is 
     a Hoosier farmer.''
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                Grocery Shopping Starts on Hoosier Farms

                     (By Eric Webb--Johnson County)

       Mom was planning the usual week's meals, which meant the 
     dreaded trip to the grocery. I went with mom and we started 
     down the aisles. As we were putting the items in the cart, I 
     noticed that several of the items were from Indiana farms. 
     This surprised me a lot. I thought all of the items that may 
     family got were imported.
       You could almost group these items by meal. For breakfast, 
     you could have Walker eggs from the Johnson County area. You 
     can add some Emege ham for an omelette. For lunch, you can 
     enjoy Perdue chicken with homegrown tomatoes on two slices of 
     Wonder bread. You can then wash it down with some Maplehurst 
     milk. For dinner, you can have steak, corn, fresh green beans 
     and wonderful seedless watermelons or cantaloupe. Let us not 
     forget the late night snack of Orville Redenbacher popcorn 
     while watching a movie. These items represent some of Johnson 
     County's, as well as other Indiana county's products.
       Other Indiana farm products that can be found in local 
     groceries include Roseacre Farm eggs, the world's largest 
     producer, and Adrian Orchard apples. With Halloween and 
     Thanksgiving approaching, do not forget about Waterman's 
     Market pumpkins and hot apple cider, Brown County apple 
     butter and special fresh turkey from Jasper's Sager Turkey 
     farm.
       In conclusion, I have only skimmed the surface of the 
     products available from Indiana farmers. Indiana has more to 
     offer than corn and soybeans. The next time you are shopping, 
     look around and see how easy it is to buy Indiana products 
     and enjoy an old fashion Hoosier meal.
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                     2003-04 District Essay Winners

       District 1: Zachariah Surfus (Starke Co.) and Amy Ver Wey 
     (Lake Co.).
       District 2: Daniel Peppler (Allen Co.) and Lindsay Shutt 
     (Allen Co.).
       District 3: Sean Smith (Cass Co.) and Autumn Cooper (Newton 
     Co.).
       District 4: Patrick Ritchie (Wells Co.) and Cindy 
     Muhlenkamp (Jay Co.).
       District 5: Keith Trusty (Morgan Co.) and Elizabeth Mercer 
     (Boone Co.)* (State Winner).
       District 6: Kyle Jacobs (Hancock Co.) and Aprill Schelle 
     (Henry Co.).
       District 7: Bradley Otero (Martin Co.) and Audrey Maddox 
     (Lawrence Co.).
       District 8: Eric Webb (Johnson Co.)* (State Winner) and 
     Vanessa Small (Bartholomew Co.).
       District 9: Braxton Williams (Posey Co.) and Jamie Frank 
     (Spencer Co.).
       District 10: Ethan Wilson (Jackson Co.) and Samantha 
     LaMaster (Scott Co.).

                     2003-2004 County Essay Winners

       Allen: Daniel Peppler and Lindsay Shutt.
       Bartholomew: Steven Day and Vanessa Small.
       Benton: Scott Williams.
       Boone: Bailey Keith and Elizabeth Mercer.
       Cass: Sean Smith and Kimberly Champ.
       Clay: Brandon Blackburn and Kayla Baumgartner.
       Clinton: Eric Myers.
       Dearborn: Joe Bischoff and Amber Shumate.
       Decatur: Cody Sanders.
       DeKalb: Stephen Boviall and Shannon O'Rear.
       Dubois: Jake Whitsitt and Kelsey Vonderheide.
       Fayette: Matt Sterling and Jerica Moore.
       Franklin: Tyler Ripperger and Michelle Willhelm.

[[Page S3211]]

       Floyd: Amanda Hawkins.
       Hamilton: Blake Koness and Alexander Robinson.
       Hancock: Kyle Jacobs.
       Hendricks: Chelseii Reynolds.
       Henry: Justin Stevens and Aprill Schelle.
       Jackson: Ethan Wilson and Kimmi Miller.
       Jasper: Travis Brandenburg and Kayla Culp.
       Jay: Dillon Carpenter and Cindy Muhlenkamp.
       Jennings: John Paul Hyden and Hannah Biehle.
       Johnson: Eric Webb and Katelyn Bird.
       LaGrange: Sarah Miller.
       Lake: Adam Becerra and Amy VerWey.
       Lawrence: Audrey Maddox.
       Madison: Kyle Carter and Nika McCloud.
       Marion: Grant Feldhake and Alexandra Cooper.
       Martin: Bradley Otero and Alysia Potts.
       Miami: Devin Zimmerman and Dreana Sparks.
       Monroe: Brian Morrison and Kristen Bornhorst.
       Morgan: Keith Trusty.
       Newton: Trace Myers and Autumn Cooper.
       Pike: Trent Barrett and Katie Hill.
       Porter: Jennifer Evan.
       Posey: Braxton Williams and Kayla Brenton.
       Pulaski: Weston Bonczek and Linsey Foerg.
       Rush: Scott Moore and Patty Walke.
       St. Joseph: Chris Wheeler and Ellen Schoenle.
       Scott: Connor Caudill and Samantha LeMaster.
       Shelby: Derek Turner and Emily Burgett.
       Spencer: Joey Tempel and Jamie Frank.
       Starke: Zachariah Surfus and Simona Crisam.
       Switzerland: Courtney Cole.
       Tipton: Craig Upstill and Natalie White.
       Vermillion: Austin Boling and Amber Yoder.
       Vigo: Thomas Kinnebrew and Karen Groth.
       Wabash: Joshua Dillon and Cami Givens.
       Warrick: Samuel Schnur and Erika Katterjohn.
       Washington: Brooke Agan.
       Wayne: Chris Kolger and Carrie Burkhardt.
       Wells: Patrick Ritchie and Lauren Schumm.
       White: Luke Evans and Abby Tetzlaff.

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