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CORVALLIS - Remi Coussens and Amos Rich, both of Hillsboro, are among the 28 men and women honored recently as 1998 Diamond Pioneers by the Oregon State University College of Agricultural Sciences.

The Diamond Pioneer Registry began when the college celebrated its 75th anniversary. The registry honors outstanding contributions to agriculture and natural resources.

Coussens has been an agricultural and community leader since he was a Hillsboro high school FFA officer in the 1930s. A former officer of the Oregon Dairy Association, Coussens won awards from the OSU Extension Service for his dairy operation and was also honored for his work with pasturelands.

Long active in church and community affairs, Coussens is treasurer of the Tuality Lands Coalition working to preserve farm land in northwest Washington County, is a director of the Tuality Community Hospital Foundation, and an advisor to the transportation committee of the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce.

Rich, who was born and raised in the Orenco area, entered the nursery business with his father and brother who formed Rich and Sons Nursery in the 1930s. In 1964, he formed Amos Rich Nurseries, wholesaling dwarf, semi-dwarf and shade trees. He holds patents on three tree varieties. He still works in the nursery every day with his son.

Rich's community activities include serving on the Orenco school board and being an active member of the Hillsboro Kiwanis and Elks Lodge. He is also a member of the Oregon Association of Nurserymen, the American Association of Nurserymen and the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce.