Background
Robert was born in Carlisle, Iowa.
Robert was born in Carlisle, Iowa.
Luther College.
Lounsberry was active in the Republican Party, serving on the local, county, district and state levels. He was a key player in the Iowa Presidential Caucus, with Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. Bush, and George West. Bush all holding campaign events at his farm near McCallsburg, Iowa. Lounsberry was appointed Iowa Secretary of Agriculture in 1972, and was re-elected in 1974, 1978, 1982 and served until retiring on January 3, 1987.
In 1978, he was elected by the largest margin in Iowa history for a statewide office.
He was at the helm during farm crises of the 1980s and testified several times before the United States. House and Senate and was a leading force in Federal farm bankruptcy laws passed during that time. He also led several international trade missions, which led to the opening of many new markets for United States. agricultural products.