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Agronomy Society Comments on the Legacy of Norman Borlaug

Father of the Green Revolution Passes Away at age 95

MADISON, WI, SEPTEMBER 14, 2009 – Nobel Peace Prize Winner and Father of the Green Revolution Norman E. Borlaug passed away September 12 in Dallas, Texas He was 95 years old.

Known as the father of the “Green Revolution,” Borlaug has been commended for his contributions to agricultural science and his ability to influence political policy. He is one of only five people in history to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize (1970), the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1977), and the Congressional Gold Medal (2007). He also received the National Medal of Science (2005), and additional awards and accolades over his long and distinguished career. Because of his achievements to prevent hunger and famine around the world, it is said that Dr. Borlaug has saved more lives than any other person who has ever lived.
 
Still active up until a short time before his death, Borlaug was a prominent member of the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) and the Crop Science Society of America (CSSA). He was a keynote speaker at their Annual Meetings in November 2007 where he challenged attendees to "think more boldly and humanely about the Third World and to see what each of you can do to help.” His standing-room-only speech was one of Borlaug’s last full-length professional presentations due to his failing health.
 
“It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to our friend and champion of agriculture, Norman Borlaug. The American Society of Agronomy mourns with the many other organizations and individuals throughout this country and the world. His vision and his ability to bring people together and inspire them to solve problems will be sadly missed,” commented ASA President Mark Alley of Virginia Tech upon learning of Borlaug’s passing.
 
Borlaug worked for 16 years to solve a series of wheat production problems and to help train Mexican scientists for the Cooperative Wheat Research and Production program in Mexico, a joint undertaking by the Mexican government and the Rockefeller Foundation. His new wheat varieties and improved crop management practices transformed agricultural production in Mexico during the 1940s and 1950s and later in Asia and Latin America, sparking what today is known as the "Green Revolution."
 
Following his retirement, Borlaug continued to participate actively in teaching, research, and activism. He spent much of the year based at CIMMYT in Mexico, conducting research, and four months of the year serving at Texas A&M University, where he has been a distinguished professor of international agriculture since 1984, teaching one semester each year.

Dr. Borlaug’s legacy will continue through his involvement and contributions to several programs aimed at educating and encouraging the next generation. In 1986, he established the World Food Prize to recognize individuals who have improved the quality, quantity, or availability of food around the globe and includes the World Food Prize and Youth Institute. He also established the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture at Texas A&M University. Earlier this year, Monsanto Company established the Beachell-Borlaug International Scholars Program in honor of Borlaug and colleague Henry Beachell for their lifelong work, hailing the leaders as “two of the world’s most pre-eminent rice and wheat breeders.”

Texas A&M Memorial Service Oct. 6
A public memorial service  in conjunction with the Norman Borlaug Institute is being planned for Oct. 6 at 11:00 am  in Rudder Auditorium on the Texas A&M University campus in College Station, TX. More information here: http://borlaug.tamu.edu/memorial_info.php

University of Minnesota Memorial Service Oct. 8
The University of Minnesota will host a memorial service for Borlaug at 10:30 am to 12:30 pm on Thursday, Oct. 8, in McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak St. S.E., Minneapolis. It is free and open to the public, please RSVP here: www.cfans.umn.edu/borlaug_rsvp

World Food Prize Celebration Event Oct. 14
The World Food Prize will host a "Celebration of the Life of Norman Borlaug and Dedication of the Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates" from 5:00 to 6:30 pm on Wednesday,  Oct. 14  at The Norman E. Borlaug Hall of Laureates - 2nd and Locust in Des Moines, IA. View the World Food Prize 2009 Borlaug Duologue agenda

Borlaug is survived by his children Norma Jean "Jeanie" Laube and William Borlaug, five grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. A Web site has been established at http://borlaug.tamu.edu with information about Borlaug, a portal for writing condolences online, and other information about the services.

View Norman Borlaug’s meeting presentation at the 2007 American Society of Agronomy meeting by visiting this webpage: www.acsmeetings.org/2007/york-lecture/

 

The Soil Science Society of America is an international scientific and professional society with its headquarters in Madison, WI. Our members are dedicated to advancing the field of soil science in relation to food production, environmental quality, sustainability, waste management and wise land use. We work at universities, government research facilities and private businesses across the United States and the world.