[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Pages 14413-14414]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       RECOGNIZING DOUG PETERSON

  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I wish to congratulate Doug Peterson 
today as he retires as President of the Minnesota Farmers Union. I join 
the thousands of farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and residents of 
rural Minnesota in thanking Doug for his leadership over the years and 
for being such a tireless advocate for Minnesota farmers.
  Doug has made agriculture, advocacy, and public service his life's 
work. Prior to his election as State president of the Minnesota Farmers 
Union in 2002, Doug served in the Minnesota House of Representatives 
for 12 years, representing a district comprised of Big Stone, Chippewa, 
Lac Qui Parle, and Swift Counties in western Minnesota.
  Minnesota has taken an incredibly proactive and innovative approach 
to energy use and sustainability. In fact, we are considered a national 
leader for boosting bioenergy. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis 
once called States the ``laboratories of democracy,'' and when it comes 
to Minnesota being a laboratory for renewable fuels, we have Doug 
Peterson to thank.
  While he was in the Minnesota House of Representatives, he authored 
the legislation that established a Statewide ethanol fuels requirement. 
Because of Doug's work at the State level in steering us toward energy 
independence, we have seen Federal renewable energy policy being 
modeled after the groundwork he laid in Minnesota.
  In addition to writing landmark legislation and advocating on behalf 
of greater Minnesota, what some people may not know about Doug is that 
he is also an accomplished artist and former art teacher. My office in 
Washington even has one of Doug's paintings on loan and prominently 
featured. The painting is a depiction of several freshly caught fish, 
tessellated in shades of orange, purple, and blue. Doug called the 
artwork ``Dead Fish,'' and I always joke with his members that the 
painting is much more attractive than the name suggests.
  During my time in the Senate, I have had the great opportunity to 
work on two farm bills with Doug leading the Minnesota Farmers Union: 
the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 and the Agricultural Act 
of 2014. I have seen the dedication he brings to leading the discussion 
about how to keep agricultural producers competitive, and I will miss 
his guidance and friendship.
  Mr. FRANKEN. Mr. President, today, on behalf of all Minnesotans, I 
rise to thank my good friend--and a real jewel in the crown of 
Minnesota agriculture--Doug Peterson, as he retires as president of the 
Minnesota Farmers Union after 14 years of leading that important 
organization.
  To say family farming is important to Minnesota is an understatement. 
One in five jobs in our State is connected to agriculture, and as Doug 
often told me, when Minnesota farmers and ranchers succeed, prosperity 
follows.
  In all, Doug spent four decades as an influential voice on farm 
policy, as a family farmer, a State legislator, and, since 2002, as 
head of the Minnesota Farmers Union. It is fair to say that a great 
many national, State, and local leaders have looked to Doug not only

[[Page 14414]]

for advice and counsel, but also to publicly lead the fight on behalf 
of our family farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. And I have to 
tell you, after going through the last farm bill debate, he is one hell 
of a fighter, and our State and our farmers have reaped the benefits of 
his work many times over.
  For me, as a Senator, Doug was an important mentor. He helped teach 
me what it takes to put crops in the ground and to get that same crop 
to market. He also invited me to visit farms across the State to see 
firsthand the time, expense, and hard work required to raise a bushel 
of corn or soybeans, a ton of sugar beets, or to produce a gallon of 
milk. Those lessons have been important to me as I have fought for 
Minnesota producers in the Senate.
  Doug has always known how important our farmers and ranchers are to 
our Nation's food security and, thus, our national security. And he 
worked hard to ensure that people in Minnesota and across the country 
knew how critical our producers are to feeding a world with a growing 
population.
  As our Nation increasingly comes to grips with the causes and 
seriousness of climate change, it is important to point out that Doug 
was on the leading edge of Minnesota's clean energy transition for 
several decades. As a State legislator, he was instrumental in making 
Minnesota a national leader in ethanol production. As a champion for 
renewable energy, his priority was not only to reduce our reliance on 
foreign oil and to cut our use of fossil fuels, but also to create 
badly needed jobs and economic development in rural communities across 
Minnesota.
  Doug has always been a tireless fighter for family farmers, and he 
pushed hard against the excessive concentration of foreign and 
corporate power in U.S. agriculture because those forces were pushing 
food prices up for American consumers. He knew that our Nation's 
network of family farms have always delivered a safe, abundant, and 
affordable food supply to the American people, while receiving just 18 
cents of every dollar spent on food in this country. That is a pretty 
good deal by any measure and one that more Americans should appreciate.
  So, to Doug, I say a heartfelt thank you for your years of important 
work, your friendship, and for teaching us all about how important 
Minnesota farming is to our State, to our Nation, and to the world. 
Your service has made a positive difference to a generation of 
Minnesota producers, and the work you have done will continue to serve 
our State well, long into the future.
  I wish you and your wife, Elly, your two sons, and your entire family 
the best of luck in the future, and I hope you continue to thrive in 
your well-earned retirement.
  Ms. KLOBUCHAR. I thank my colleague for his statement and agree.
  Doug Peterson has served the Minnesota Farmers Union for 14 years, 
the Minnesota State House of Representatives for 12 years, and the 
Minnesota public education system for 20 years. Whether it has been 
through writing and advocating legislation, painting on a canvas, or 
educating students, for nearly 40 years Doug Peterson has been leaving 
his mark. That is why I am proud to honor him today on his retirement 
from the Minnesota Farmers Union.

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