[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 15]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19945]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                     A TRIBUTE TO JAMES EDWIN KUHN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DUNCAN HUNTER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 8, 2005

  Mr. HUNTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to the 
life and memory of a good friend and a great American, Mr. James Edwin 
Kuhn of EI Centro, California. Jim died shortly after midnight on 
Monday, August 29, 2005, when his sports utility vehicle overturned on 
Evan Hewes Highway.
  Those of us who knew Jim best remember a family man and an 
agricultural innovator who shared his passion for the outdoors. He is 
from a family of farmers that settled in Imperial Valley in the early 
years of the 20th century and helped build one of the strongest 
agricultural sectors in the country.
  Jim was born April 21, 1964, spending much of his early childhood 
working on the family farm. In high school, he shined as a wrestler and 
a football player, demonstrating himself as a leader and making obvious 
his desire for success. Jim's father reinforced the importance of 
receiving a well-rounded college education, but also advised him to 
learn as much as he could about Imperial Valley, business, and 
agriculture. When he graduated high school, Jim left for Stanford 
University and graduated in 1986 with a degree in Slavic languages and 
literature. He immediately returned to Imperial Valley and continued 
the Kuhn farming tradition started by Jim's grandfather.
  Jim immediately began looking and thinking of ways to improve and 
expand the family business. He took his father's idea of exporting 
compressed hay to dairies in Japan and before long, Kuhn farms grew 
into a large, vertically-integrated farming, processing, and exporting 
company with more than 300 employees. Jim received much admiration and 
respect from his workers and their families, and just like Jim, they 
took great pride in the word done at Kuhn farms.
  While maintaining a reputation as an innovator in the transport and 
international sale of hay and forage products, Jim also founded KF 
Dairy in 1992 and, in conjunction with Gossner Foods of Utah, 
established Imperial Valley Cheese--a local cheese production facility. 
He is also credited for introducing Klein Grass to Imperial Valley, 
where it has become a significant crop.
  Jim also created the Salton Sea International Bird Festival in an 
effort to share with the community his passion for photographing 
birdlife and desert scenery. He recognized the value and beauty of 
Imperial Valley, and wanted nothing more than to show everyone living, 
visiting, or traveling through his community that agriculture and 
wildlife can coexist. The Bird Festival has become an annual event 
bringing people from all over the world to Imperial Valley.
  Mr. Speaker, I know Jim's loving wife, Heidi, and his two children, 
Vienna and Fritz, will continue to share with family and friends his 
passion for adventure and the outdoors.
  I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring and paying tribute to the 
life and memory of James Edwin Kuhn.

                          ____________________