[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 75 (Tuesday, May 7, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H3464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    RECOGNIZING WEIGEL'S FARM STORES

  (Mr. BURCHETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I salute you for your salute to the 
Tennessee Big Orange with your tie selection.
  I also rise today to recognize Weigel's Farm Stores, an east 
Tennessee-based convenience store chain, for its dedication to selling 
Tennessee products. Recently, Weigel's announced that it would sell 
milk only produced, processed, and bottled within the State.
  In 1931, the Weigel family began operating a dairy. Over decades, the 
family business expanded from farming to owning and operating 67 stores 
in the region. I remember the square jugs of Weigel's milk that became 
iconic in the Knoxville area.
  Although they no longer produce their own milk, their commitment to 
Tennessee dairy products has remained constant. Independently owned 
dairies have long been an important part of east Tennessee's economy, 
but recently, these operations have struggled to compete with the 
larger farms.
  I am glad that Bill Weigel, a good friend of my family's and the 
current owner of the business, and his family are investing in our 
local products and family farms, and I hope their decision will inspire 
other milk processors in the area to do the same.

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