“She championed Indiana agriculture wherever she went in the state, nation or world,” Villwock said. “She’s set the bar extremely high for those who follow.”

Lugar received the President’s Award for Distinguished Service for his 30+ years of service to Indiana and agriculture.

“Throughout his career Sen. Lugar has been the farmers’ champion for freer markets, fewer regulations and more renewable fuels,” said Villwock. “His passion has been to unshackle American agriculture from onerous acreage controls and to turn American farmers loose to produce up to their farm’s capability.”

Villwock added, “He has been a great friend of Farm Bureau and a dear friend to me personally,” adding that he’s considered Lugar a mentor since the 1970s, which is when Villwock first met him while on the Young Farmer Committee.