[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 36 (Monday, February 28, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S834-S835]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO DR. SALLY ROCKEY

  Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, it is my privilege to recognize and 
honor Dr. Sally Rockey, the inaugural executive director of the 
Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, and a pioneer in Federal 
research, on the occasion of her well-earned retirement.
  Dr. Rockey's career has improved countless people's lives through 
research, and she continues this mission today. She has been a leader 
in the advancement of research programs in both agriculture and 
biomedicine. She spent almost 20 years with the U.S. Department of 
Agriculture managing competitive research grant programs, and she was 
with the National Institutes of Health--NIH--for 11 years as the NIH 
Deputy Director for Extramural Research, where she led the operations 
of the world's largest extramural research program.
  Together with Senator Pat Roberts, I established the Foundation for 
Food and Agriculture Research in the 2014

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farm bill. Under Dr. Rockey's leadership, the foundation has become a 
significant force in the agriculture research community by developing 
innovative private-public partnerships to fund rigorous food and 
agriculture research. During Dr. Rockey's 6 years at the helm, the 
foundation awarded more than 250 grants in collaboration with over 550 
partners. Her engagement with a broad swath of partners helps leverage 
$1.40 for every dollar allocated by Congress. To put this into 
perspective, with Congress' investment of $385 million over 10 years, 
along with the matching funds, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture 
Research is on track to invest nearly a billion dollars in agriculture 
research, an impressive feat for a new initiative and a testament to 
Dr. Rockey's leadership.
  Dr. Rockey's legacy is not only audacious research--and the lives 
that are impacted by this research--but also the invaluable support the 
foundation provides to the next generation of scientists. During her 
tenure, the foundation established several programs that specifically 
prepare today's young scientists to address the food and agriculture 
challenges of tomorrow.
  Dr. Rockey's future-focused perspective has led the foundation to 
create AgMission. Founded in partnership with U.S. Farmers and Ranchers 
in Action and World Farmers Organization, AgMission is an unprecedented 
global collaboration of farmers, ranchers, and scientists co-creating 
and rapidly expanding innovation, adaptation, and the adoption of 
climate-smart technologies. AgMission embodies our shared vision that 
agriculture can be mobilized to address the climate crisis.
  I want to personally congratulate Dr. Rockey on the conclusion of her 
spectacular career in public service and wish her the best of luck on 
the start of the next chapter of her life.
  We wish you well, Sally.

                          ____________________