Thursday, November 26, 2009

Nation & World

Washington Whispers by Paul Bedard

The Nobel Prize of Agriculture Goes to McGovern and Dole

October 21, 2008 12:34 PM ET | Paul Bedard | Permanent Link | Print

In the Who Knew? category, we offer the World Food Prize, won this month by former senators and presidential candidates George McGovern and Bob Dole, whose eight-year-old international school feeding program has helped 22 million kids, especially girls. The prize is the brainchild of 1970 Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug, credited for a life of fighting hunger and starting the "green revolution" of expanded farming worldwide with disease-resistant plants. The reason: After winning, Borlaug realized there was no Nobel category for agriculture issues, so he set up his own award, now endowed, that pays a $250,000 prize. It's very likely little known outside the Midwest because it's based in Des Moines. But Iowa Sen. Charles Grassley assures us: "It's to be the equivalent of the Nobel Prize."

Tags: George McGovern | Bob Dole

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Reader Comments

in re: anybody know

Both men discussed seeing hungry children during their time in wartorn Europe during WWII - additionally they were both children in not especially well-to-do widwest families while growing up. McGovern's father was a minister so they frequently fed people in need. These are the reasons they both gave for getting involved with the school feeding program. For more information on why they won the world food prize, go to: www.worldfoodprize.org

Anybody know....

... the background of how it came to pass that specifically McGovern and Dole became involved with the program?

Congratulations

to both winners.

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