[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 50 (Thursday, March 21, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E323]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF HENRY P. ``CORKY'' ANDERSON III

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KEVIN McCARTHY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 21, 2019

  Mr. McCARTHY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Henry 
P. ``Corky'' Anderson III who passed away on February 23, 2019 at the 
age of 76. A lifelong Tulare County resident, Corky, as he was 
affectionately known, was a renowned trailblazer in the pistachio 
industry.
  Corky's passion for farming began at age 13 when he spent his days 
hauling hay for nearby farms, and as the years went on he mastered his 
craft while working up and down the Pacific coast throughout California 
and Oregon. Corky was also a problem solver. The California pistachio 
industry has historically suffered due to a soil-borne fungus known as 
verticillium wilt that kills thousands of trees each year before they 
are mature enough for commercial production. Along with his business 
partner Ken Puryear, Corky developed a pistachio rootstock resistant to 
verticillium wilt. This development was nothing short of revolutionary, 
and California's current status as the largest pistachio producer in 
the world can largely be attributed to his hard work.
  But Corky was involved in much more than just pistachios. Ever the 
family man, he, along with his brother Doug Anderson and sister Debi 
Mitchell, founded AMA Pistachio Farming and AMA Properties where they 
grew everything from sugarbeets to cotton, invested in a gold mine in 
Oregon, and diversified into office building in Las Vegas and Arizona.
  Corky is survived by his wife of 30 years, Betty Jean Anderson, and 
an entire family that loved him dearly. He will be remembered for his 
kindness, love of life, and passion for farming. I was fortunate enough 
to have known Corky for many years. He was an exceptional farmer and an 
even better friend. On behalf of California's 23rd Congressional 
District, I extend my deepest condolences to the Anderson family, and 
all of those whose lives Corky touched.

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