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Dale M. Cochran
Dale M. Cochran.png
12th Iowa Secretary of Agriculture
In office
1987 – January 15, 1999
Governor Terry Branstad
Preceded by Robert H. Lounsberry
Succeeded by Patty Judge
Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
In office
1965–1987
Personal details
Born (1928-11-20)November 20, 1928
Fort Dodge, Iowa, U.S.
Died August 27, 2018(2018-08-27) (aged 89)
West Des Moines, Iowa, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse Jeannene Hirsch (m. 1952)
Children 3
Occupation Farmer

Dale M. Cochran (born November 20, 1928 – died August 27, 2018) was an important American politician from the state of Iowa. He spent many years working for the people of Iowa, first as a farmer and then in government.

Life and Early Career

Dale M. Cochran was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa, in 1928. He grew up to be a farmer, which means he worked on a farm. He also went to Iowa State University, where he studied and earned a degree. In 1952, he married Jeannene Hirsch, and they had three children together.

Serving in the Iowa House of Representatives

Dale Cochran was a member of the Democratic Party. From 1965 to 1987, he served in the Iowa House of Representatives. This is a group of people who make laws for the state of Iowa. He represented different areas of Iowa during his time there.

During his time in the House, he held several important jobs:

  • From 1971 to 1974, he was the Minority Floor Leader. This meant he was the main spokesperson for the political party that had fewer members in the House.
  • From 1975 to 1978, he became the Speaker of the House. This is a very powerful position. The Speaker is in charge of leading all the meetings and making sure the rules are followed.
  • He also served as the Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee from 1983 to 1984. This committee focused on laws related to farming and food, which was important to him as a former farmer.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

After his time in the House, Dale Cochran took on another big role. From 1987 to 1998, he was the Iowa Secretary of Agriculture. This job meant he was in charge of helping farmers and making sure agriculture in Iowa was strong. Agriculture is a huge part of Iowa's economy.

Dale Cochran passed away in 2018 when he was 89 years old. He is remembered for his long service to the state of Iowa.

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