[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 2]
[Senate]
[Page 2847]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                            DR. MIKE LOOPER

 Mrs. LINCOLN. Mr. President, today I congratulate Dr. Mike 
Looper of Greenwood for being named the Agriculture Research Service 
National Scientist of the Year for 2009. Dr. Looper, an animal 
scientist at the Dale Bumpers Small Farm Research Center, is the first 
Arkansan to receive the Herbert L. Rothbart Outstanding Early Career 
Research Scientist Award, which goes to the top scientist who has 
worked for less than 7 years.
  I commend Dr. Looper for his research on how improved livestock 
management can have a positive economic impact on our rural farmers. 
Through his research efforts, Dr. Looper represents the best of our 
Arkansas values: hard work, dedication, and perseverance. He also 
inspires the next generation of Arkansas leaders as an adjunct 
instructor of biology and physiology at the University of Arkansas.
  As a seventh-generation Arkansan and farmer's daughter, and as 
chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, I understand firsthand 
and appreciate the hard work and contributions of our Arkansas 
agriculture community. Agriculture is the backbone of Arkansas's 
economy, creating more than 270,000 jobs in the State and providing 
$9.1 billion in wages and salaries. In total, agriculture contributes 
roughly $15.9 billion to the Arkansas economy each year.
  I salute Dr. Looper and the entire Arkansans agriculture community 
for their hard work and dedication.

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