The scene in the Hall of Statuary at the U.S. Capitol as the ceremony to unveil the statue of Dr. Norman Borlaug, center, begins this morning. (From House Speaker video)

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, left, and House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, right, talk with other officials today at the dedication of Iowa’s statute of Dr. Norman Borlaug in the U.S. Capitol. (From House Speaker video) Congressional leaders and Iowa officials gathered in the U.S. Capitol today to unveil the statue of Norman Borlaug, the Iowa-born scientist who developed the strain of wheat that led to the “Green Revolution” that is credited with saving 1 billion lives.

“Fittingly, Dr. Norman Borlaug is honored today with a statue at the U.S. Capitol, joining an array of American heroes commemorated in the National Statuary Hall,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a former Iowa Democratic governor. “Dr. Borlaug’s statue reflects not only the magnitude of his own achievements, but the power of science to change lives in a positive way.”

“I hope when visitors see his statue in the U.S. Capitol, they will be reminded of how far we have come in agricultural production and how important it is that we continue agricultural research and innovation for the security of our food supply," said House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla.

“Norman Borlaug was a true pioneer in American agriculture, whose commitment to research and innovation helped to feed starving populations around the world,” said Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich. “He represented the best of the American spirit, and I’m proud that his work and legacy will be enshrined in the Capitol to remind us of this every day.”

American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman said, “All of agriculture is standing a little taller today, seeing a statue of Dr. Borlaug being placed in the U.S. Capitol. His scientific discoveries and hands-on work to transfer food production technology transformed agriculture all around the world. His work moved farm production from subsistence to the fullest abundance and most importantly, gave nations the tools to feed their people.”

Many farm organizations noted that late in his life Borlaug had endorsed biotechnology, including genetic modification that often comes under attack.

Biotechnology Industry Organization President and CEO Jim Greenwood
applauded Iowa for commissioning the statue and said, “We need fight agriculture’s real challenges: plant diseases, diminishing natural resources, climate change and global food poverty. Biotechnology is a key tool in this fight, and it’s time for science to move forward.”

Greenwood noted that Borlaug had said “ ‘The majority of agricultural scientists, including myself, anticipate great benefits from biotechnology in the coming decades to help meet our future needs for food and fiber ... we must speak unequivocally and convincingly to policy makers that global food insecurity will not disappear without new technology.”