Oct 03, 2011
DANA POINT, CA – CropLife America (CLA) honored Col. Ed Duskin, executive vice president of the Southern Crop Production Association (SCPA), with its Lea S. Hitchner Service Award for his nearly 40 years of exceptional leadership in agriculture. CLA Board Chairman (2009-2011) Bill Buckner presented the award last week at CLA’s 78th Annual Meeting in Dana Point, Calif. The Lea S. Hitchner Service Award is the most prestigious honor from CLA, named in recognition of the association’s first president, Lea Hitchner. Hitchner served as president when the association was founded in 1933, and he led the association for nearly 30 years.
“Throughout his tenure at SCPA, Ed has continued to find challenge with the multitude of ever-changing issues involved in the crop protection industry,” said Jeff Cassady, account manager at Bayer CropScience and vice president of SCPA. “Our industry would not be where it is today without the leadership, commitment and dedication of people like Ed Duskin. Even today, at 83 years of age, Ed continues to set a pace, and be an example to others, related to the values, focus, perseverance, and loyalty that are such an integral part of American agriculture.”
Duskin is a central figure in the crop protection industry and provides a national voice for southern agribusiness. A ubiquitous figure at CLA meetings, he supports committee efforts and encourages grassroots efforts that further innovation and progress within U.S. agriculture, with a particularly astute eye on farmer and rancher benefits.
“Ed has been a tireless advocate for modern agriculture and continues to provide direction and guidance to the industry,” said Jay Vroom, president and CEO of CLA. “His unyielding focus always puts the needs of farmers first in order to consistently provide consumers with healthy, nutritious and plentiful food.”
To download a photo of Col. Ed Duskin with the Lea S. Hitchner Service Award, please click this link:
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6102/6208622274_bbfa050c47_o.jpg
Established in 1933, CropLife America (www.croplifeamerica.org) represents the developers, manufacturers, formulators and distributors of plant science solutions for agriculture and pest management in the United States. CropLife America’s member companies produce, sell and distribute virtually all the crop protection and biotechnology products used by American farmers.
