Roger Wehrbein Chosen for Silver Eagle Award

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Lincoln, Nebraska (Nov. 27, 2009)* - Nebraska Farm Bureau will award its highest honor, the Silver Eagle, to former State Sen. Roger Wehrbein of Plattsmouth at its Dec. 8 annual banquet at the Holiday Inn and Convention Center in Kearney. The award honors outstanding leadership and distinguished service to the agricultural industry. It is Farm Bureau’s highest honor. Wehrbein served in the Nebraska Legislature from 1986 to 2006 and chaired the Appropriations Committee for several years. As chair, he worked to secure funds for the University of Nebraska Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, E. coli research, the Forest Service, and other ag-related programs. Wehrbein’s legislative career focused on rural economic development, Nebraska Farm Bureau President Keith Olsen said Nov. 27. “Roger played a lead role in adoption of the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Act, which assists beginning farmers, and was a key leader on several legislative bills which shored up funding for the state’s Ethanol Production Incentive fund.” Wehrbein also worked for adoption of the Building Entrepreneurial Communities Act, Value-Added Grant Program, tax incentives for livestock development, and other tax incentive programs for rural economic development. Wehrbein is a graduate of Plattsmouth High School and the College of Agriculture at the University of Nebraska. He is a U.S. Army veteran, a former Cass County commissioner and a past president of the Nebraska Livestock Feeders Association. He is a member of the Nebraska Hall of Agricultural Achievement and was named “Rotary Nebraskan of the Year” this spring by Lincoln’s Downtown Rotary Club. Wehrbein also was the first recipient of the Outstanding Legislature Award from the University of Nebraska at Omaha Alumni Association for his strong support of higher education. In 1984, Wehrbein, his wife Jeanene, and their two sons were named the Omaha Area Kiwanis Club's Farm Family of the Year. Since leaving the legislature, Wehrbein has continued to be active in public policy issues affecting agriculture, Olsen said. He agreed this fall to serve on the advisory board for the recently formed Nebraska Energy Export Association, which is working to promote wind energy development in the state. And he is co-chair of the search committee which is seeking a new vice chancellor for the UNL Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources. Wehrbein is the 21^st recipient of the Silver Eagle Award, which was begun in 1989.