Nutrition speaker

Former agriculture secretary to address nutrition grads

Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Dan Glickman will address the graduates of the Gerald J. and Dorothy R. Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy during Commencement ceremonies on May 19.

Dan Glickman © Michael Geissinger

Currently a partner in the public law and policy practice group of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld in Washington, D.C., Glickman advises the firm's clients on a wide range of issues, including food and agriculture, health, biotechnology, international trade and aviation issues.

Glickman served as secretary of agriculture from March 1995 until January 2001. Under his leadership, the department modernized food safety regulations; forged international trade agreements to expand U.S. markets and improved its commitment to fairness and equality in civil rights, both in the treatment of its employees and in the implementation of its programs. During his tenure, the department also focused on improving our nation's diet and nutrition and on fighting hunger.

An advocate of biotechnology and its potential to increase agricultural productivity and preserve the nation's natural resources, Glickman led the effort to ensure that this new technology is governed by a regulatory approval process based on sound science. Before his appointment as secretary of agriculture, Glickman represented Kansas' 4th Congressional District for 18 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, serving as a member of the House Agriculture Committee. He received his B.A. in history from the University of Michigan and his law degree from George Washington University.