Jim Hightower was born and raised in Denison, Texas. He currently broadcasts radio shows that are carried by various commercial and public stations. Hightower also writes a column for The Nation and publishes a monthly political newsletter, The Hightower Lowdown, which has received both the Alternative Press Award and the Independent Press Association Award for best national newsletter. He uses these outlets to provide a political and economic voice for those who have none.

Professional background:

* Commentator, speaker, writer, author, and founder, Rolling Thunder Down-Home Democracy Tour (1992-present) * Chair, Financial Democracy Campaign (1991-92) * Commssioner, Texas Department of Agriculture (1983-91) * Director, Texas Consumer Association (1980-82) * Editor, Texas Observer (1976-79) * National coordinator, Fred Harris for President (1975-76) * Co-founder, Agribusiness Accountability Project (1970-75) * Legislative aide, Texas Senator Ralph Yarborough (1967-69)

Education:

* Bachelor's degree, University of North Texas

Member of the following boards of directors:

* Public Citizen * Sustainable Food Center

Selected Publications:

* Thieves in High Places: They ve Stolen Our Country and It s Time to Take It Back (2003) * If the Gods Had Meant Us to Vote They Would Have Given Us Candidates (2001) * There's Nothing in the Middle of the Road but Yellow Stripes and Dead Armadillos (1998) * Eat Your Heart Out (1988)

Nominating Speech:
Jim Hightower is an inspirational speaker. He would motivate the people working for the department by offering common-sense direction to a complex project. Keeping the country's agriculture system functioning and improving requires real leadership.

Work to ensure the American people a safe, varied and plentiful food supply;

Put public health and environmental safety above corporate, political or regional interests;

Support family farming and encourage healthy economic development of rural communities;

Work to protect the Commons: public lands, air and water, biodiversity, unpatented seed stock;

Promote humane farming;

Work to avoid hurting poor farmers in poor countries with unfair competition from subsidized US crops.