For Immediate Release
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KOHL RECEIVES “CONGRESSIONAL WORKHORSE AWARD” FOR SUPPORT OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION

Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-WI) was awarded the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities' "Congressional Workhorse Award" for his work on behalf of agricultural research. Kohl is Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee.

"We worked hard in this year's appropriations bill to promote agriculture research.  I pushed for funding because I fundamentally believe that what you do is important," Kohl said when accepting the award at the association's conference in Washington. "And I believe it will become more important – not less – in the years ahead. Some people make the faulty assumption that our nation's success in agriculture diminishes the need for research. To me, just the opposite is true. We're going to need more of your expertise in the decades ahead."  

Senator Kohl fought to include $2.838 billion for USDA research agencies in the conference report of this year's agriculture appropriations bill.  This is an increase of nearly $198 million above the fiscal year 2009 level.  The primary agricultural research agencies, the Agricultural Research Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, receive $1.251 billion and $1.343 billion respectively.