Agricultural Excellence

Agricultural Excellence. Norman Borlaug and Eldon Siehl. , Both Norman Borlaug and Eldon Siehl believed in raising awareness about the importance of agriculture, and this garden reflects their shared passion., Borlaug was a U of M alumnus who earned three degrees here, in forestry and plant pathology. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 because of his work in breeding new varieties of wheat and in revolutionizing growing methods, and he is credited with saving nearly a billion people around the world from starvation., Siehl, for whom the garden is named, was a successful business owner who had a lifelong fascination with agriculture. His generous gifts to the University of Minnesota included establishment of the Siehl Prize for Excellence in Agriculture, which honors "those special people who have turned their love for the land into a lifetime of exemplary work.", Both men wanted to ensure that Americans never forget the people who produce food. In 1982, Borlaug encouraged Siehl to endow the Minnesota-based award; four years later, Borlaug helped establish the World Food Prize, which honors those who improve the quality, quantity, or availability of food throughout the world..