[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 13 (Wednesday, January 22, 2025)]
[Senate]
[Pages S300-S301]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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    RECOGNIZING THE 2025 ARKANSAS AGRICULTURE HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

 Mr. BOOZMAN. Mr. President, I rise today to congratulate the 
newest inductees into the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame for their 
efforts to carry on the Natural State's deep-rooted farming culture and 
the leadership each has demonstrated in their respective communities.
  Arkansas' outsized impact on American agriculture is well-documented. 
That prominent role is largely the result of the hard work and 
expertise among our farmers, ranchers, and foresters, as well as 
entrepreneurs, scientists, educators, and all those who power our 
State's largest industry. Their dedication has continued to strengthen 
Arkansas agriculture even amid the tremendous challenges facing rural 
America and farming communities across the country right now.
  This year's inductees represent individuals who support the 
agriculture community in different capacities.
  Aubrey Blackmon of Houston, AR, grew his farm from one cow and calf 
to over 350 cattle at its peak. He has been involved with the Arkansas 
Cattlemen's Association for over 50 years and is known as the 
cattlemen's historian. After receiving the association's lifetime 
achievement award in 2023, it was renamed the ``Aubrey Blackmon 
Lifetime Service Achievement Award.''
  Carl Brothers from Stuttgart has made significant contributions to 
Arkansas' rice production industry, including through policy efforts to 
create USDA marketing loans for rice farmers. His leadership at 
Riceland Foods over five decades helped it grow into the world's 
largest rice miller.
  Over the course of three decades, Chuck Culver of Fayetteville served 
with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and championed 
research to bolster farmers' ability to produce a safe, affordable, and 
abundant food supply. Culver also helped lead the establishment of the 
Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, as well as the Arkansas 
Children's Nutrition Center in Little Rock and the National 
Agricultural Law Center in Fayetteville.
  Mike Freeze of Little Rock has been a longtime champion of the 
aquaculture industry. Keo Fish Farms has been a catalyst for innovation 
in the industry under Mike's direction. He has advocated for fish 
farmers before the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee 
and served as president of the Arkansas chapter of the American 
Fisheries Society. Freeze was also appointed to the Arkansas Game and 
Fish Commission and went on to serve as its chairman.
  Albion, AR, resident Jack Reaper was a World War II veteran who built 
a diverse and commercially successful farming operation that included 
broilers and eggs, as well as beef cattle and

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dairy heifers. Having started with 24 acres of corn and cotton, by the 
end of his life, Reaper was widely acknowledged for his novel approach 
to farming in the Ozark Mountain foothills.
  Rison native Frank Wilson and his two brothers started Wilson 
Brothers Lumber in 1982 and saw it become an industry-leading 
operation. He would go on to develop critical software programs 
designed to assist producers with keeping forest management and 
financial records. Wilson also has helped raise $11 million for 
Arkansas Children's Hospital and built multiple local businesses while 
holding over 17,000 acres of south Arkansas timberland.
  On behalf of all Arkansans, I congratulate these deserving 
individuals for their long-lasting contributions that have improved 
Arkansas agriculture. Our State remains among the top agriculturally 
because of them and everything they represent. We are very proud of 
their achievements, and I am pleased to join the Arkansas Agriculture 
Hall of Fame in recognizing and honoring these leaders.

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