MADISON – Officials from the UW-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences have recognized U.S. Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) for his years of service to his state and the UW-Madison, his alma mater.

“In his four terms in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Kohl has been an unfailing voice for the people of Wisconsin, strengthening our economy while preserving our precious natural resources and our rural roots,” said CALS Dean Molly Jahn, who presented Kohl with a plaque during a ceremony in Washington, D.C. on March 4. “He has been a good friend not only of this university, but of our farmers, families and communities throughout Wisconsin.”

After receiving a bachelor”s degree from UW-Madison in 1956, Kohl earned an MBA from Harvard University before serving in the U.S. Army Reserve for eight years. He built a successful family business, operating Kohl”s grocery and department stores throughout Wisconsin, before being elected to the Senate in 1988.

Kohl has been a leader in the Senate on agricultural issues. He chairs the Senate”s agricultural appropriations subcommittee and has introduced numerous pieces of legislation to improve the way of life for farmers and their families, including the first national dairy assistance program. He has also been a strong advocate for children and education, creating legislation to expand the federal school breakfast program and securing funding for an array of juvenile crime prevention and after-school programs, including Boys and Girls Clubs and the Families and Schools Together program.

In both his political work and his personal charity, Kohl has broadly supported higher education and the UW-Madison. He has pushed for strong federal budgets for agricultural and scientific research and increases in financial aid to students. His generous gifts to his alma mater include a $25 million lead donation to construct the Kohl Center on the Madison campus.

Jahn says the college wanted to recognize those efforts in a unique, personal way. She presented Kohl with a plaque that declares him a “friend of the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.”

“We wanted to acknowledge his tireless efforts on behalf of Wisconsin”s families and institutions,” Jahn says. “He is a real Wisconsin legend, and we”re proud to call him our friend.”

“I feel fortunate that my work in the Senate allows me to help protect and grow Wisconsin”s agriculture industry,” Kohl said upon receiving the honor. “It”s a privilege to work with the many outstanding, committed people at UW toward those goals.”