Tester wins second Golden Triangle Award

NFU honor is farmer’s second in two years

(BIG SANDY, Mont.)
–Jon Tester has a new addition to his Senate office—his second Golden Triangle
Award since taking office in 2007.

The National Farmers Union gives its Golden Triangle
Award to members of Congress who have “demonstrated leadership on issues
relevant to America’s family farmers, ranchers
and rural communities.”

Tester, a
third generation farmer from Big Sandy, is one of the only farmers in the U.S.
Senate and a powerful advocate of Montana
agriculture.

The National Farmers Union says it chose this year’s
Golden Triangle Award winners based partly on their support for the Farm Bill,
country-of-origin labeling (COOL), and boosting fuel production on
farmland.

Tester added a provision to the Farm Bill to provide
federal crop insurance for farmers who grow camelina—a plant whose oil can be
converted into biodiesel.  Camelina meal is a nutritious livestock feed, and it
does not compete with food supply.

Tester fought for mandatory country-of-origin labeling
at the federal level, cosponsoring legislation to include COOL in the Farm
Bill.  This week he asked
the U.S. Department of Agriculture to correct its rules for implementing COOL
later this month because the rules could allow some U.S.
meat to be mislabeled.

“Receiving the Golden Triangle Award is a huge honor,”
Tester said.  “It symbolizes my promise to never stop fighting for Montana agriculture and rural America
in the U.S. Senate.”

The Golden Triangle Award is based on the emblem of the
National Farmers Union, which stands for legislation, cooperation and education.