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New Iowa statue will be installed in Capitol soon

Ag/Outdoor, News

February 26th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Gov. Terry Branstad says a statue of Norman Borlaug will be installed in the U.S. Capitol next month.  Branstad will attend the official installation on March 25, which is the 100th anniversary of Borlaug’s birth.   In 2011, Iowa officials agreed to replace a statue of Sen. James Harlan at the U.S. Capitol with one of Borlaug. Borlaug was a Cresco native who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1970 for his role in combating world hunger.

South Dakota artist Benjamin Victor created the sculpture. The statue is finished and is in Aberdeen, South Dakota, awaiting transport to Washington.  Each state can display two sculptures in the Capitol. The Borlaug statue will replace one of former senator and Interior Department secretary James Harlan. The Harlan statue will return to Iowa.