[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 164 (Monday, October 31, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Page S6915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                     REMEMBERING SALOMON E. RAMIREZ

 Mr. BINGAMAN. Mr. President, Salomon E. Ramirez, New Mexico 
State executive director of USDA's Farm Service Agency, died October 22 
at his family's ranch in Rociada, NM. He was 56 years old. Salomon came 
from a ranching family in San Miguel County and devoted his life to 
serving agriculture in New Mexico and the Nation.
  He was born in Las Vegas, NM, attended Robertson High School, and 
graduated with a degree in agriculture from New Mexico State 
University. His passion for agriculture and a desire to help farmers 
and ranchers in New Mexico led him to a career at the U.S. Department 
of Agriculture, including positions at both the Farm Service Agency and 
the U.S. Forest Service. Because of his knowledge and experience, he 
spent time at USDA's headquarters in Washington helping to write a new 
farm bill and implement national farm policy.
  Salomon Ramirez was a model public servant. He worked at USDA for 
over 30 years and was a tireless advocate for my State's farmers and 
ranchers. No one knew more about farm programs or understood how they 
could best be implemented to support the producers in my State. My 
staff and I frequently sought his counsel and valued his always astute 
advice. I was honored to recommend him to be the State executive 
director of the New Mexico Farm Service Agency and was pleased when 
President Obama appointed him to the position in 2009.
  No State had a more capable or caring manager for its farm programs 
than New Mexico. He was a true friend of agriculture and everyone who 
depends on agriculture from producers to consumers--in fact, all of us. 
He will be greatly missed.

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