Hardin was the Dean of Agriculture and later the Chancellor of the University of Nebraska and helped establish the Agricultural Field Laboratory at Mead. Hardin underscored the importance of state government and higher education working together to complement each other’s efforts. As U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, Hardin extended the food stamp program and established the Food and Nutrition Service and the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs.
I am honored this evening to have the privilege of visiting wit you for a few minutes about the 1969 Honoree of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement – Dr. Clifford M. Hardin.
At the outset, I would like to compliment the Hall for continuing this annual ceremony. It is most important that we honor the basic industry of this great state – agriculture – and preserve for the records the achievements of those men who have contributed to much to development of our rural heritage.
I note from past programs that the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement has honored many whose achievements and names are familiar to all of us . . . such men as J. Sterling Morton, Samuel R. Thompson, Charles H. Morrill, W.P. Snyder, Samuel Avery, Edgar Burnett, George Condra, W.W. Burr, Frank Keim, Charles Thompson, Val Kuska, Otto Liebers and many others.
The 1969 honoree joins this select group of men who have been honored in the past. The man we honor this evening is more than an outstanding leader; more than a distinguished public servant; he serves as a symbol to those of us enlisted in the area of public service. For Clifford M. Hardin is an individual who has always welcomed challenges regardless of inherent dangers. For this obvious reason, he accepted the call of the President of the United States to assume, perhaps, the most awesome responsibilities in federal government – those of the office of Secretary of Agriculture.
We honor Secretary Hardin not only for this national recognition – but chiefly for his contributions to Nebraska agriculture and higher education here and throughout the country.
Secretary Hardin, as you know has been in agriculture all his life. In fact, it is his life's work. Brought up on a family sized farm near Knightowns, Indiana, he early became acquainted with the daily operation of the farm. He did the usual chores and helped his father plan the cropping and livestock practices. He belonged to a 4-H club, and, as a matter of fact, he went to Purdue on a 4-H scholarship. He, as a youngster, came to know first-hand that the motto of 4-H clubs, "Make the Best Better," is important to our American way of life.
His early life on the farm, coupled with academic work in agricultural economics and his career as an administrator has kept him in close touch with agriculture. Here in Nebraska during the past nearly 15 years, he has worked with farm people, he have visited farms and ranches and many of his close friends here at home are farm and ranch operator – big and small.
It is hardly necessary on this occasion to trace his career in detail for you. Let me remind you though that on the national scene he has been effective as an agricultural leader, long before he became Secretary of Agriculture. He served as president of the American Association of Land-Grant Colleges and State Universities. His membership on the National Science Foundation attests to his national stature.
Secretary Hardin, throughout his tenure as Chancellor of the University of Nebraska, kept in constant touch with broad agricultural problems and developed a strong interest in agriculture not only from a state standpoint but also from a national and international viewpoint. He was instrumental in having our own University establish a brand-new land-grant type University in eastern Turkey. Through his efforts and the work of others, the University of Nebraska is now engaged in a mammoth project in Colombia, South America, in upgrading the agriculture of that Latin-American country.
As you know, Dr. Hardin has long been interested in world food problems and his book, "Overcoming World Hunger", just recently published, has been the subject of considerable discussion. Even the Chicago Tribune describes it as a document that "no individual concerned with world food problems and relations should be without."
Despite his interest in national and international programs, including his work with higher education in Latin America, Dr. Hardin has worked diligently with Dean Elvin Frolik, agricultural leaders and the Governor's office on agricultural programs of great significance in Nebraska. Prior to coming to Nebraska in 1954, he had a part in establishing the Fort Robinson Beef Cattle Research Center in northwest Nebraska. He has insisted and rightfully so – that the animal science areas here at the University be greatly upgraded in keeping with the establishment of the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center now developing at Clay Center.
Working with others here at the University and with state government, Dr. Hardin also played an important role in the establishment of the Agricultural Field Laboratory at Mead, an installation which is today the envy of most other states in the country.
I should also like to note that Dr. Hardin has served the state of Nebraska well in counseling with many of us on ways and means to enhance our economic development efforts; he has always been ready to support our programs and I might add that many of them are now beginning to yield significant dividends for our people. On numerous occasions, he dramatically underscored the importance of state government and higher education working together – sharing their resources and people – realizing that the two components should complement each other's efforts.
Let me now make a few personal observations. I became acquainted with Cliff Hardin when he first came to Nebraska in 1954 and I have worked on many projects with him. As president of the Nebraska Bankers Association, it was my pleasure to team up with Dr. Hardin in attempting to get a better understanding of the place of the University of Nebraska in our state's economy and in striving to build academic excellence in our University. I found then, and in the intervening years, Dr. Hardin to be a forceful leader, one who wouldn't take no for an answer and one who always had the best interests of all our people at heart.
While he may have disagreed on some matters, our friendship continued as well as our mutual respect for one another. His continual striving for innovations in agriculture and education was always a delight and I might say most challenging.
I am sure that Dr. Hardin is a man dedicated to the betterment of rural America and its many people who seek their fair share of the nation's resources. I am sure that he will serve as an articulate voice of rural America to the President of the United States.
It is indeed an honor for me to participate in the tribute to Secretary Hardin . . . and I cannot at the same time pass this opportunity to say that you honor Martha Hardin at the same time . . . for Martha and Cliff work as a formidable team.
I am confident that Secretary Hardin's efforts in the future will continue to bring credit to his state, the University and the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement.
