[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 170 (Tuesday, December 3, 2013)]
[House]
[Page H7402]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       CONGRATULATING ERIC COWDEN

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Pennsylvania (Mr. Thompson) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. THOMPSON of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Eric 
Cowden, a resident of Pennsylvania Furnace, Pennsylvania, a constituent 
of mine. This past month, Eric, a graduate of Penn State University, 
was recognized by the National Future Farmers of America with the 
organization's highest honor, the FFA Honorary American Degree.
  As a youngster growing up on the family farm in Washington County, 
Pennsylvania, Eric was involved with the FFA, like many students in 
rural communities, showing steer, heifers, and lambs from a young age. 
Upon graduating from Penn State with a degree in agricultural sciences 
and earning his master's in business from Delaware Valley College, Eric 
went on to work for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. There, 
he administered the Rural Youth grant program, led the county fair in 
the agri-tourism division, and eventually rose to director of the 
central region office for the department. Eric also holds several 
leadership roles with the Marcellus Shale Coalition, bringing together 
two of Pennsylvania's most historic and important industries: energy 
and agriculture.
  Eric is well deserving of this honor, and we thank him for his 
leadership in the field of agriculture and agricultural education.

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