Amy Klobuchar: “I wish to congratulate Doug Peterson today as he retires as President of the Minnesota Farmers Union. I join the…”

“I wish to congratulate Doug Peterson today as he retires as President of the Minnesota Farmers Union. I join the thousands of farmers, ranchers, small businesses, and residents of rural Minnesota in thanking Doug for his leadership over the years and for being such a tireless advocate for Minnesota farmers. Doug has made agriculture, advocacy, and public service his life's work. Prior to his election as State president of the Minnesota Farmers Union in 2002, Doug served in the Minnesota House of Representatives for 12 years, representing a district comprised of Big Stone, Chippewa, Lac Qui Parle, and Swift Counties in western Minnesota. Minnesota has taken an incredibly proactive and innovative approach to energy use and sustainability. In fact, we are considered a national leader for boosting bioenergy. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis once called States the ``laboratories of democracy,'' and when it comes to Minnesota being a laboratory for renewable fuels, we have Doug Peterson to thank. While he was in the Minnesota House of Representatives, he authored the legislation that established a Statewide ethanol fuels requirement. Because of Doug's work at the State level in steering us toward energy independence, we have seen Federal renewable energy policy being modeled after the groundwork he laid in Minnesota.…”