Through his leadership, Keith guided the Nebraska Farm Bureau and Nebraska agriculture through multi-year droughts, extremely low livestock prices, a beef scare due to Mad Cow Disease, a major revamp of water policy, and successful trade missions to open markets for Nebraska agricultural producers. He also spearheaded efforts to oppose higher property taxes, excessive regulations on farmers and ranchers and shaped solid federal farm policy.
It is a great honor for me tonight to present this tribute to Keith R. Olsen in recognition of him being elected as the 2013 Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement honoree. Keith's outstanding career in production agriculture, and his excellent service to people of all ages, to his community, to the Farm Bureau organization and to our agricultural industry, makes him a very deserving recipient of this award.
Let me take a moment to share a little about Keith's life and his impressive career dedicated to agriculture. During his career at Grant High School, Keith played football, was very active in the Future Farmers of America raising wheat and chickens as his farm projects and served as class president for two years. Following graduation, he attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, majoring in Agricultural Economics. He received his bachelor's degree in Agricultural Economics in 1967.
Keith met Doris, then a student at Immanuel School of Nursing, on a blind date. Raised on a farm near Scribner, she told him on their second date that she would never marry a farmer. Apparently, Keith's many talents include the power of persuasion. Following their marriage in 1969, Doris joined Keith on the Olsen farm where Keith had begun farming with his father in 1967. Keith's father passed away in 1969 and at the age of twenty-four, Keith and Doris took over the Olsen farm.
For many in the room tonight, when you think of Keith Olsen you think of Farm Bureau. Let me share with you his impressive career in Nebraska Farm Bureau. Keith joined the Perkins County Farm Bureau when he began farming and served as president and board member. He then served two terms on the Nebraska Farm Bureau State Legislative Policy Committee and served as a member of the Tax Advisory Committee. He was a State Board Member representative from 1992-1997 and was elected second vice-president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau in 1996, first vice-president in 1997 and president in 2002 until his retirement in December of 2011. He also served on the American Farm Bureau-Canadian Prairie Pools Committee and as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
As president of the state's largest farm organization, Keith led Nebraska Farm Bureau forward with consistent membership growth, a significant increase in agricultural youth support, more representation for farmers and ranchers--both in Lincoln and Washington, D. C., greater presence in land-grant university circles and an expanded effort to educate the public about modern agriculture. His excitement for the future of agriculture was evident as he spoke from the heart to carry Nebraska agriculture's message when giving presentations to various rural and ag related groups.
Through his leadership and direction, Keith guided the Nebraska Farm Bureau and Nebraska agriculture through trying times with multi-year droughts, extremely low livestock prices, a beef scare due to Mad Cow Disease, a major revamp of water policy, and successful trade missions to open markets for Nebraska agricultural producers. He spearheaded efforts in opposing higher property taxes, excessive regulations on farmers and ranchers and shaping solid federal farm policy.
Keith has been recognized not only as a leader and spokesman for agriculture and promoter of the industry in Nebraska, but nationally and internationally as well. He was comfortable working with farmers and ranchers locally as well as interacting with policymakers in Nebraska, Washington, D. C. or in foreign countries. He served on the American Farm Bureau Trade Advisory Committee and traveled throughout the world on trade missions sponsored by the Farm Bureau and the State of Nebraska, including one to Cuba.
One of Keith's passions is working with youth and he encourages their interest in production agriculture and related careers. He spent 30 years as a 4-H leader and served on the board of directors of the Nebraska FFA Foundation and was the chair for two years. He has great pride for the young men and women who wear the blue jacket. He is a true champion for the cause of FFA and for the Nebraska Agricultural Youth Institute and has been honored and a featured speaker at many of those events.
Another passion Keith has is supporting the land-grant mission and service to agriculture the University of Nebraska provides. The footprint that Keith has made on the leadership and direction of the University of Nebraska and IANR is substantial to say the least. He co-chaired the Search Committee who selected the current University of Nebraska President-J.B. Milliken. He served on the Search Committee who selected Dr. Ronnie Green as the University of Nebraska Vice President and the Harlan Vice Chancellor of the Institute of Ag and Natural Resources. He has also served on many other search committees for Deans and Department Heads at IANR.
Appropriately so, several agricultural groups have honored Keith. He has received the Ag Achievement Award from CASNR, the Public Service to Agriculture Award from the Nebraska Agri-Business Club, the Award of Merit from the Nebraska Agriculture Youth Institute, and the Nebraska Ag Relations Council Award for Service to Agriculture. And in 2011, Keith received an honorary State FFA degree.
Keith has been generous with his personal time, money, and assistance for Nebraska agriculture. Because of his extensive activities, he often dealt with scheduling conflicts. As a colleague, on several occasions I personally witnessed that when those conflicts did arise, he usually decided to participate in the meeting or event if it was somehow connected with Nebraska agriculture. His dedication and passion for the state's number one industry and what it can contribute to the future of this state is second to none.
Keith and his wife, Doris, a retired registered nurse, have three married sons Craig, Jeff and Curtis. Keith and Jeff share the farming duties together on their farm near Venango, NE. Keith and Doris currently live in Grant, NE, but also maintain a residence in Lincoln. Although now officially retired, he continues to serve on the boards of the Ag Builders of Nebraska, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Nebraska, and is on the National Steering committee of the 25x25 group whose goal is to have 25 percent of our nation's energy to come from renewable sources by 2025. He also is a new member of the Nebraska Rural Radio Foundation board of directors. A favorite activity for Keith even in retirement is serving as an Ag in the Classroom pen pal to a kindergarten class in Lincoln, paying personal visits to the classroom to interact with the young students. Keith and Doris do still find time to enjoy travelling and their grandchildren are a great source of joy.
In recognition of outstanding contributions to the agricultural industry, state, nation and to the development of youth and the future of agriculture, it is a great privilege for me to say CONGRATULATIONS, Keith R. Olsen, on being selected tonight as a Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement Honoree for 2013.
