New Plymouth farmer at the presidential address

Walt Minnick - Right for Idaho

March 23, 2009

Washington, D.C. – Galen Lee last visited our nation’s capital city in 1982 as a high-school student attending a Future Farmers of America conference.

Tomorrow he will sit in the gallery above the U.S. House of Representatives chambers and watch President Barack Obama deliver an address to the nation.

“This is an honor,” said Lee, who turns 44 on Wednesday.

Lee is from New Plymouth, Idaho, about an hour west of Boise near the Oregon border. He and his father grow sugar beets, peppermint, asparagus, hay, grain and corn, and have herds of dairy and beef cows. Lee serves as president of the Nyssa-Nampa Beet Growers Association, and sits on the Idaho Mint Growers Board and the Payette County Farm Bureau Board. Lee and his wife Cindy have a blended family of eight, and they’ll all be watching televised address for a glimpse of their dad.

“It’s definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Lee said.

Lee was invited to the event by Idaho Congressman Walt Minnick, who serves on the House Agriculture Committee.

“It was a pleasure to meet with Galen earlier today,” Minnick said. “I’m delighted he is able to attend the address, and will join him in watching with great interest to see what the president proposes for agriculture and for Idaho.