WASHINGTON – National Farmers Union is recognizing select members of Congress for exceptional leadership on issues important to rural America. Farmers and ranchers from the legislators’ respective states presented most of the awards during NFU’s Legislative Fly-In last week.

NFU presented its top award of recognition, the Golden Triangle Award, to the following outstanding leaders:

· Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., for his work on the farm bill and as chairman of the Budget Committee;
· Sen. Thomas Daschle, D-S.D., for his role in passing the new farm bill, efforts to secure a Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS) and ongoing support of emergency disaster assistance;
· Sen. Mark Dayton, D-Minn., for efforts on the farm bill, trade issues and in securing a RFS;
· Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., for his roles in appropriations, the farm bill and emergency disaster assistance;
· Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, for work on farm payment limits and banning packers from owning livestock;
· Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, for leadership on the 2002 farm bill;
· Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., for active support of country-of-origin labeling, a ban on packers owning livestock and emergency disaster assistance;
· Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., for his efforts to secure a RFS and his dedication to rural development programs;
· Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., for leadership on the 2002 farm bill and commitment to conservation efforts;
· Sen. Paul Wellstone, D-Minn., for working to combat market concentration and for his role in the 2002 farm bill;
· Rep. Eva Clayton, D-N.C., for work on behalf of rural development and family farm issues;
· Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, R-Mo., for leadership in the Rural Caucus and the Global Food for Education Initiative;
· Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, for roles in the Appropriations Committee, in targeting farm program benefits to family farmers and in the promotion of renewable fuels;
· Rep. Collin Peterson, D-Minn., for dedication to agriculture during consideration of farm bill and trade legislation;
· Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., for work on the farm bill, trade legislation and responsible estate tax relief.

"These leaders are true champions and friends of rural America," said NFU President Dave Frederickson. "We thank them for their leadership over the years on behalf of our nation’s family farmers and ranchers."

NFU also recognized other members of Congress with Presidential Awards for Leadership:

· Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., for leadership on securing emergency disaster assistance;
· Sen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., for leadership on securing emergency disaster assistance;
· Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, for leadership on trade issues;
· Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., for work on market concentration and energy issues;
· Sen. Herbert Kohl, D-Wis., for leadership on dairy policy and appropriations;
· Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., for leadership on dairy issues;
· Sen. Ben Nelson, D-Neb., for work on 2002 farm bill and emergency disaster assistance;
· Sen. Craig Thomas, R-Wyo., for efforts to combat market concentration;
· Rep. Mary Bono, R-Calif., for leadership on including country-of-origin food labeling in the 2002 farm bill;
· Rep. Leonard Boswell, D-Iowa, for his work on the 2002 farm bill and on renewable energy reserves;
· Rep. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, for efforts to protect family agriculture in international trade legislation;
· Rep. Tim Holden, D-Pa., for work on dairy issues and the 2002 farm bill;
· Rep. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., for work on conservation initiatives;
· Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass., for work with the international school lunch program;
· Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., for leadership on Rural Caucus and in rural development;
· Rep. David Obey, D-Wis., for leadership on dairy policy and appropriations;
· Rep. Thomas Osborne, R-Neb., for support of renewable fuels and disaster assistance;
· Rep. Mike Ross, D-Ark., for efforts to include country-of-origin food labeling in the new farm bill;
· Rep. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., for dairy leadership;
· Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich., for work on targeting payments to family farmers;
· Rep. Charles Stenholm, D-Texas, for leadership in the farm bill and on budget issues; and
· Rep. John Thune, R-S.D., for leadership on country-of-origin food labeling.

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