WASHINGTON — Sen. Chuck Grassley said that late tonight a resolution in the Senate to honor Dr. Norman Borlaug with the Congressional Gold Medal cleared the Senate. The House of Representatives has yet to consider the resolution. Grassley introduced the resolution in February with Sen. Tom Harkin.
"We are proud that Dr. Borlaug calls Iowa home, but he is truly a citizen of the entire world," Grassley said. "Presenting the man who saved more lives than any other person in history with the highest honor that Congress can bestow is the least we can do to show our gratitude."
Borlaug grew up in rural Cresco and attended the University of Minnesota where he received his bachelor’s, masters and Ph.D. He worked in Forestry and Microbiology before he started his work developing crops that increased yields and resisted disease.
Borlaug’s advancements in crop production helped him become known as the "Father of the Green Revolution." The Green Revolution was a time when drastically increased crop yields over a short period of years helped alleviate world hunger.
Borlaug’s work in agriculture saved hundreds of millions of people from famine and starvation. In 1970 he was given a Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts and is still the only person to receive this honor from working in agriculture. It is said that Borlaug saved more lives than any other person in history.
Today Borlaug is Chairman of the Council of Advisors for the World Food Prize. The World Food Prize presents a $250,000 award each October at an international ceremony in Des Moines, to the Laureate who has made an exceptional achievement similar to Borlaug’s breakthrough forty years ago.
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