[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 13967]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                     TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM V. HUFFMAN

 Mrs. BOXER. Madam President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
recognizing William ``Bill'' Huffman, the director of Government 
Relations for Farmers' Rice Cooperative, who is retiring after a 
distinguished career that has spanned more than five decades.
  Bill Huffman's roots to rice date back to his childhood. He was 
raised on his family's rice farm in Gridley, located in the heart of 
California's rice country the Sacramento Valley. Bill later attended 
Humboldt State University and graduated with a degree in radio/
television before going to work for a Sacramento radio station as a 
farm broadcaster.
  Following his career in broadcasting, Bill worked in the government, 
agricultural, and financial sectors and then joined Farmers' Rice 
Cooperative, California's largest rice marketing firm, representing 
more than 700 rice growers.
  During his 30-year career with Farmers' Rice, Bill promoted one of 
the Golden State's most important crops with pride and skill, 
advocating for important public policy issues on behalf of California's 
rice industry. Each week, growers could depend upon his summary of 
important local, State, and Federal news impacting the rice industry in 
``Bill Huffman's News of the Week'' blog. In addition to tirelessly 
representing Northern California's rice growers, Bill also helped lead 
disaster relief efforts to donate rice overseas following the tragic 
2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. In recognition of all of his 
outstanding accomplishments, Bill was awarded the California Rice 
Industry Award by the California Cooperative Rice Research Foundation 
in 2009.
  I had the pleasure getting to know Bill well during his time with 
Farmers' Rice Cooperative. We worked together to promote California's 
high-quality rice, protect important conservation programs, and 
encourage sustainable rice farming. Bill has been a strong voice for 
our rice growers, and I wish my friend the best as he enjoys a well-
deserved retirement with his wife Sheila, their four children, and 
three grandchildren.
  Thank you.

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