Robert Bergland

Bob Bergland
20th United States Secretary of Agriculture
In office January 23, 1977 – January 20, 1981
President	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	John A. Knebel
Succeeded by	John R. Block
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Minnesota's 7th district
In office January 3, 1971 – January 22, 1977
Preceded by	Odin Langen
Succeeded by	Arlan Stangeland
Personal details
Born	July 22, 1928 Roseau, Minnesota, U.S.
Political party	Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
Spouse(s)	Helen Bergland
Children	Dianne Leigh Bergland Linda Kay Bergland Stevan Ray Bergland Jon Lynn Bergland Allan Robert Bergland William Joseph "Billy" Bergland Franklyn Felix Bergland
Parents	Selmer Bennett Bergland Mabel Evans Bergland
Residence	Roseau, Minnesota, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Minnesota
Profession	Politician
Religion	Lutheran

Robert Selmer "Bob" Bergland (born July 22, 1928) is an American politician. He served as a member of the House of Representatives from Minnesota's 7th congressional district from 1971 to 1977, and he served as United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1977 until 1981, during the administration of President Jimmy Carter.

Early life and politics

Bergland was born on July 22, 1928. He grew up on a farm near Roseau, Minnesota. He was the son of Selmer Bennett Bergland, a Minnesota farmer, and his wife Mabel (née Evans). He studied agriculture at University of Minnesota in a two-year program. He became an official of the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service for the Department of Agriculture from 1963 to 1968.

U.S. House of Representative from Minnesota

He was elected to the United States House of Representatives from 1971 to 1977, as the member of a Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, entering the House to defeating by U.S. Republican incumbent Odin Langen in 1970. He was elected from the 92nd, 93rd, 94th, and 95th congresses, and was served from January 3, 1971 to January 22, 1977 as the representative from Minnesota. In Congress, he served on the House Committee on Agriculture's subcommittees for Conservation and Credit, and Livestock, Grains, Dairy, and Poultry.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

In 1977, Bergland resigned from the House shortly after the beginning of a new term, and was appointed by the President Jimmy Carter's Secretary of Agriculture from January 23, 1977 to January 20, 1981. A minor but much-celebrated struggle between USDA and the General Services Administration occurred during his tenure, resulting in the ironic dedication of the USDA executive cafeteria in honor of Alferd Packer in the order to shame General Services Administration from a terminating into the Nixon-era cafeteria services contract.

Post-Agricultural and returned farmer

At the end of President Carter's administration in 1981, and became as the chairman of Farmland World Trade until 1982, when he became as the vice president and general manager of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. In that capacity, Bergland lobbied both Congress and the regulatory agencies on behalf of the Cooperative's electricity business. Throughout his life, Bergland is widely considered a tireless advocate for working-class, rural Americans and particularly farmers.

After retiring in 1994, Bergland was elected by the Minnesota State Legislature to a term on the University of Minnesota Board of Regents. Bergland retired after the one term and owns a 600-acre (2.4 km²) farm in Minnesota.

Personal life

He married Helen Elaine Grahn on June 24, 1950. They had seven children, fifteen grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and two step-grandchildren.

He was the guitarist for the Highway 11 Ramblers.

External links

• Robert Bergland at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
• The Bob Bergland Papers, including extensive records of his congressional service, are available for research use at the Minnesota Historical Society.