Thompson Statement Recognizing the Grand Opening of UC Davis' LEED Platinum-Certified Research and Teaching Facility

Jan 19, 2011
Floor Statements

Washington, D.C., Jan 19, 2011 -

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the University of California, Davis, on the occasion of the grand opening of its world-class, LEED Platinum-certified research and teaching facility focused on food science, wine, and brewing.

Among its distinctions, UC Davis is the world's leading research and teaching center for agriculture, food science, and viticulture and enology. UC Davis research and teaching has developed an international reputation and strength in agriculture, and food, dairy, and wine production.

With the LEED Platinum brewery, winery, and food-processing laboratories, the Robert Mondavi Institute for Wine and Food Science at UC Davis fosters a new era of opportunity and environmentally sustainable economic development. This new complex will be self-sufficient in energy and water use, and contains numerous environmentally friendly features such as onsite solar power generation, and carbon dioxide capture. New food-processing, wine-making, and brewing laboratories will test production processes that conserve water, energy, and other natural resources.

Two of the Nation's leading academic departments related to food and beverage science are situated at the Robert Mondavi Institute at UC Davis. The Department of Viticulture and Enology and the Department of Food Science and Technology will utilize the new state-of-the-art research and teaching facility.

Within the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, the Department of Viticulture and Enology has been the creator of grape-growing and wine-making knowledge that enabled the growth and success of today's wine industry, and has placed California and the Nation among the global leaders in wine production and quality. Wine industry leaders rely upon the department's research, expertise, and counsel.

Likewise, the Department of Food Science and Technology is internationally recognized for its advances in making food and beverages more nutritious, appealing, affordable, and safe. It is the only such department within the University of California and is the state of California's principal academic food science research group.

Technologies developed at UC Davis have been instrumental in making high-quality food and beverage products that feed the nation--including dairy, seafood, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and beer. Food safety research has helped identify and eliminate contamination in handling and processing. Research on nutrients, antioxidants, and other food components are helping create more healthful foods for California and the world. Graduates of the university's College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences are highly sought after nationally in the food processing, wine-making, and brewing industries. Its graduates form the foundation on which food and agricultural industries have developed, grown, and flourished.

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, on the occasion of the grand opening of the UC Davis Research and Teaching Winery and the Anhenser A. Busch III Brewing and Food Science Laboratory, let us recognize UC Davis for its leadership and dedication to excellence in the area of the food, wine and brewing sciences. Please join me in commending the University of California, Davis, for its service to the people of California and the Nation.