[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 117 (Thursday, July 12, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1005]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING DOUG McILROY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 12, 2018

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with the 
Honorable Jared Huffman to honor Doug McIlroy for his commitment to 
sustainable agriculture and his work to protect the jobs and 
livelihoods of farmers in our community from overregulation. Mr. 
McIlroy is being honored with the Luther Burbank Conservation Award by 
the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.
  Mr. McIlroy was born in England and moved with his family to Marin 
County, California when he was an infant. He developed a passion for 
agriculture from an early age. He spent his summers driving tractors 
and picking prunes on his family's Aquarius Ranch near the Russian 
River in Healdsburg, California. Mr. McIlroy studied at the Santa Rosa 
Junior College and graduated from the University of California, Davis, 
with degrees in economics and plant science.
  In 2001, Mr. McIlroy was recruited by Rodney Strong Vineyards to 
manage its estate vineyards and be its Director of Winegrowing. Due in 
no small part to his leadership, vineyards at Rodney Strong are now 100 
percent sustainable. Much like the Sonoma County Winegrowers' mission, 
Mr. McIlroy's goal is for all of Sonoma County vineyards to be 
sustainably farmed.
  In addition to his work at Rodney Strong Vineyards, Mr. McIlroy also 
sits on the Board of Directors for Sonoma County Winegrowers, United 
Winegrowers of Sonoma County and the American Vineyard Foundation. 
Within these organizations, Mr. McIlroy has worked tirelessly on 
environmental issues and has been at the forefront of every water issue 
growers have faced.
  Mr. Speaker, Mr. McIlroy is a passionate farmer, environmentalist and 
scientist who has a record for giving back to our agricultural 
community. It is therefore fitting and proper that we honor Doug 
McIlroy here today.

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