Robert Bergland

Robert Selmer Bergland ( born July 22, 1928 in Roseau, Minnesota ) is a former American politician of the Democratic Party, who was both a deputy in the U.S. House of Representatives for Minnesota as well as Minister of Agriculture of the United States.

Biography

After attending public schools in Roseau he studied agricultural sciences at the School of Agriculture of the University of Minnesota and completed this study in 1948. Afterwards, he worked for several years as a farmer before to January 1963, Chairman of the Service for Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation it from March 1961 Minnesota (Minnesota Agriculture Stabilization and Conservation service ) was. He then joined the staff in the Ministry of Agriculture of the United States and was there until May 1968 Regional Director for the Midwest.

After he had in 1968 unsuccessfully applied for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, he was (Minnesota Democratic - Farmer-Labor Party ) in 1970 selected as the Democratic candidate for member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Minnesota. After his re- election in 1972, 1974 and 1976 he was a member of the Congress of January 3, 1971 until his resignation on 22 January 1977. The following day, he was appointed by U.S. President Jimmy Carter Minister of Agriculture ( Secretary of Agriculture ) in his cabinet. This cabinet post he held until the end of Carter's presidency on January 20, 1981.

After leaving the government, he joined in March 1981 in the private sector and was first president of Farmland World Trade before he was between September 1982 and 1993, Vice President and General Manager of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, an organization representing over 900 electricity cooperatives in the USA represents.

After a subsequent brief stint as a member of the Board of the University of Minnesota, he runs a farm since 1994.