Box Butte General Hospital was honored Friday night as the Business of the Year during the annual meeting of the Box Butte Development Corporation.

The hospital recently opened its five million dollar medical office complex, which was constructed this year just south of the hospital. In 2001, it completed a nearly three million dollar expansion.

Honored as the entrepreneur of the year was Dan Koch (Cook), owner of Perrin Manufacturing.

The guest speaker was former United States Secretary of Agriculture and United States Senate candidate Mike Johanns.

Johanns touched on trade, productivity, the farm bill, and ethanol.

Johanns told KCOW that he believes gasoline prices will continue to rise until this country weans itself off foreign oil. Johanns says he believes ethanol is one of the keys and believes Nebraska is leading the way in renewable fuel production and consumption.

Johanns says the president's latest message of vetoing the proposed farm bill is understandable. He says since its initial proposal in January, more and more spending has been added to the bill, and it no longer represents what a majority of the nations farmers told him they wanted.

As far as his Senate campaign, Johanns believes he is best qualified to be sent back to Washington. Johanns says his experience as Mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska's Governor and Ag Secretary makes him the most qualified.

Johanns says he believes the big issue in the Senate race is the nation's economy.