[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 107 (Thursday, June 26, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S6280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DR. THAYNE DUTSON

 Mr. SMITH. Mr. President, today I wish to highlight the 
importance of acknowledging and celebrating extraordinary efforts by 
ordinary Americans who have led the way in protecting and preserving 
America's natural resources. I am honored to commend a natural resource 
hero in my home State of Oregon, Dr. Thayne Dutson. After a lifetime of 
service to farmers and ranchers in this country, Dr. Dutson is hanging 
up his hat and I honor his service.
  Dr. Dutson has been dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences at 
Oregon State University since 1993 and has acted as director of the 
Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station since 1987. As head of Oregon's 
College of Agriculture Sciences, Dr. Dutson has dedicated the past two 
decades of his life to Oregon's farmers and ranchers.
  Along with being Oregon Agriculture's resource for cutting-edge 
research, knowledge about food systems, environmental quality, natural 
resources and rural communities, Dr. Dutson has also led a team of 
public servants to administer the extension service throughout the 
State. Dr. Dutson and his team led Oregon State University's outreach 
mission by engaging with Oregon's people and communities and focusing 
his efforts on community livability, strengthening the economic 
vitality of rural communities and maintaining Oregon's natural resource 
base. Based on these positive impacts and the leadership of Dean 
Dutson, the OSU Extension Service is recognized as one of America's 
top-5 land-grant university extension systems in the country. Dr. 
Dutson was also instrumental in Oregon State University's selection as 
one of five regional centers for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's 
Sun grant initiative, which is working to advance the development of 
new biobased fuels and products.
  I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Dutson on many projects 
over the years. Dean Dutson has worked tirelessly on behalf of Oregon's 
farmers and ranchers. Under Dr. Dutson's watch, Oregon State University 
has secured critical Federal research funding for grass seed, potatoes, 
livestock grazing, small fruits, barley genome mapping, soil and air 
quality, organic Agriculture, nursery crops and biofuels. It is because 
of his leadership that Oregon agriculture and Oregon State University 
continue to lead the nation as innovators in all agricultural sciences.
  As a young Boy Scout, I was taught that one's duty was to respect and 
protect the world around you. I believe that we have a responsibility 
to encourage efforts in conserving our natural resources by responsibly 
using them, not abusing them. Dr. Thayne Dutson has made major 
contributions to a proud Oregon pioneering spirit of innovation and 
responsible management of our natural resources. What Dean Dutson has 
given back to the Oregon agriculture community is invaluable, for he 
has taught us that everyone doing their small part can achieve huge 
successes. I wish Thayne, his wife, Missy, and their family all the 
best as they pursue future endeavors. Oregon's farmers and ranchers owe 
him a debt of gratitude.

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