NFU Honors 44 Congressional Champions of Agriculture with Golden Triangle Award
RMFU President Dale McCall presents US Senator Michael Bennet with 2016 NFU Golden Tiaingle Award
WASHINGTON (September 14, 2016) – Having champions in Congress to ensure Americans have strong food and farm policies is important, and National Farmers Union (NFU) proudly recognized 44 outstanding Senators and Representatives who have demonstrated leadership and support for family farmers and ranchers and their rural communities.
The Golden Triangle Award, NFU’s highest legislative honor, was presented to each recipient at an awards reception last night, during NFU’s Annual Legislative Fly-In.
“The Golden Triangle Award represents outstanding leadership and tireless effort on the issues that are important to our industry and organization. It is our honor to recognize the efforts of these Congressional champions and friends of family farming and ranching,” said NFU President Roger Johnson.
The Golden Triangle, first presented in 1988, symbolizes the core principles of the Farmers Union organization: education, cooperation, and legislation. This year’s Golden Triangle honorees were selected for their leadership and contribution to several issues important to family farmers and ranchers, including Trade Promotion Authority, currency manipulation enforcement, and the estate tax.
The 2016 recipients of the Golden Triangle Award are:
Senator Tammy Baldwin
Senator Michael Bennet
Senator Richard Blumenthal
Senator Sherrod Brown
Senator Maria Cantwell
Senator Al Franken
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand
Senator Charles Grassley
Senator Martin Heinrich
Senator Heidi Heitkamp
Senator Mazie Hirono
Senator John Hoeven
Senator Angus King
Senator Amy Klobuchar
Senator Patrick Leahy
Senator Claire McCaskill
Senator Jeff Merkley
Senator Christopher Murphy
Senator Gary Peters
Senator Brian Schatz
Senator Debbie Stabenow
Senator Jon Tester
Senator John Thune
Representative Joe Courtney
Representative Rosa DeLauro
Representative Jeff Fortenberry
Representative Chris Gibson
Representative Steny Hoyer
Representative Marcy Kaptur
Representative Ann Kirkpatrick
Representative Ann Kuster
Representative Dave Loebsack
Representative Ben Lujan
Representative Michelle Lujan Grisham
Representative Jim McGovern
Representative Dan Newhouse
Representative Rick Nolan
Representative Nancy Pelosi
Representative Collin Peterson
Representative Chellie Pingree
Representative Mark Pocan
Representative Bruce Poliquin
Representative Tim Ryan
Representative Tim Walz
National Farmers Union has been working since 1902 to protect and enhance the economic well-being and quality of life for family farmers, ranchers and rural communities through advocating grassroots-driven policy positions adopted by its membership
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Washington, DC – The National Farmers Union (NFU) honored Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet today with the 2016 Golden Triangle Award, the organization’s highest legislative honor. The annual award is presented to members of Congress who have demonstrated leadership and support policies that benefit America’s family farmers, ranchers, fishermen, and rural communities.
“Colorado’s farmers and ranchers and our $40 billion agriculture industry help drive our state’s economy,” Bennet said. “Their input was invaluable as we tackled the Farm Bill, which we passed in 2014 and continues to provide more certainty for our producers, and rural communities. Listening directly to Colorado farmers will help us ensure that they have the resources needed to continue to provide food and fuel to Colorado and America.”
This is Bennet’s seventh Golden Triangle award. As a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Bennet helped craft the Farm Bill with the help of Coloradans across the state. He was also selected to serve on the conference committee convened to work out the differences between the House of Representatives and Senate versions of the bill. Bennethelped ensure that Colorado priorities were in the final version of the Farm Bill, including a strengthened crop insurance program, improved conservation easements, reauthorization of the livestock disaster program, important forestry measures for reducing the risk of wildfires, and the continuation of Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funding for Colorado counties.
The Golden Triangle Award is based on NFU’s symbol – a triangle with “legislation” and “cooperation” forming the sides and “education” the base. The Golden Triangle Awards have been presented every year since 1988.
