Berl Priebe

{{Infobox officeholder | name = Berl Priebe | image = File:Berl-Priebe.gif | caption = State Senator Portrait | state_senate = Iowa | district = 8th | term_start = January 10, 1983 | term_end = January 12, 1997 | predecessor = Rolf Craft | successor = James Black | state_senate1 = Iowa | district1 = 4th | term_start1 = January 8, 1973 | term_end1 = January 9, 1983 | predecessor1 = Richard Vande Hoef | successor1 = H. L. Ollenburg | state_house2 = Iowa | district2 = 6th | term_start2 = January 11, 1971 | term_end2 = January 7, 1973 | successor2 = Dennis L. Freeman | state_house3 = Iowa | district3 = 85th | term_start3 = January 13, 1969 | term_end3 = January 10, 1971 | successor3 = Norman Rodgers | birth_name = Berl Eastman Priebe | birth_date = {{Birth date|1918|5|31}} | birth_place = Lone Rock, Iowa, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2014|7|20|1918|5|31}} | death_place = Algona, Iowa, U.S. | party = Democratic | spouse = Madelyn Paetz (m. 1938) }}

'''Berl Eastman Priebe''' (May 31, 1918 – July 20, 2014) was an American farmer, livestock dealer, and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served in the Iowa House of Representatives (1969–1973) and the Iowa Senate (1973–1997), representing districts in north-central Iowa.<ref name="IALegBio">{{cite web |title=Berl Eastman Priebe |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=71&personID=1125 |publisher=Iowa Legislature |access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref>

==Early life and education== Priebe was born near Lone Rock, Iowa, the son of Clarence and Amy (Bond) Priebe.<ref name="AllYears">{{cite web |title=Berl Eastman Priebe (legislator all years) |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator/legislatorAllYears?personID=1125 |publisher=Iowa Legislature |access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref> He graduated from Bancroft High School in 1935 and married Madelyn Paetz in 1938.<ref name="AllYears" />

==Agricultural career== Priebe worked as a farmer and livestock dealer and was active in cattle organizations, including the Iowa State and American Angus associations.<ref name="AllYears" /> He also served in local agricultural and civic roles, including as president of the Kossuth County Fair Board and as a 4-H leader.<ref name="AllYears" />

==Political career== Priebe was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1968 and served from 1969 to 1973.<ref name="IALegBio" /> He was elected to the Iowa Senate in 1972 and served from 1973 to 1997.<ref name="IALegBio" />

During the 76th General Assembly (mid-1990s), Priebe chaired the Senate Agriculture Committee and served on the Commerce; Natural Resources, Environment & Energy; and Ways & Means committees, and was vice chair of the Agriculture/Natural Resources appropriations subcommittee.<ref name="IA76Archive">{{cite web |title=Berl Priebe (D): Senate District 8 (Archived: 76th General Assembly) |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/GA/76GA/Senate/Members/Berl-Priebe.html |publisher=Iowa Legislature |access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref> A separate committee roster for the 75th General Assembly also lists him as chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee.<ref name="AgCommittee75">{{cite web |title=Agriculture (Senate) committee information (75th GA) |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/committees/committee?ga=75&groupID=323 |publisher=Iowa Legislature |access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref>

==Legal case== In 1959, Priebe was the named parent and natural guardian for his daughter in an Iowa Supreme Court case, ''Paula Priebe (by Berl E. Priebe) v. Kossuth County Agricultural Association, Inc.''<ref name="Justia1959">{{cite web |title=Priebe v. Kossuth County Agricultural Ass'n, Inc., 99 N.W.2d 292 (Iowa 1959) |url=https://law.justia.com/cases/iowa/supreme-court/1959/49829-0.html |website=Justia |access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref>

==Agricultural advocacy and public disputes== According to later reporting, Priebe drew national attention in 1996 after criticizing television host Oprah Winfrey following an episode of ''The Oprah Winfrey Show'' about “mad cow disease.” He argued the broadcast harmed cattle prices and urged Winfrey to tell viewers the disease had not been found in the United States at the time.<ref name="RadioIowa2014">{{cite web |title=Iowa senator who battled Oprah Winfrey in 1996 has died |url=https://www.radioiowa.com/2014/07/23/iowa-senator-who-battled-oprah-winfrey-in-1996-has-died/ |website=Radio Iowa |date=July 23, 2014 |access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref>

==Horse racing== Priebe also appeared in thoroughbred racing records as an owner, including for the horse ''Governor's Jet''.<ref name="SkySportsGovJet">{{cite web |title=Governors Jet (USA) — Horse Profile |url=https://www.skysports.com/racing/form-profiles/horse/774935/governors-jet-usa |website=Sky Sports Racing |access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref><ref name="EquibaseGovJet">{{cite web |title=All starts in thoroughbred races (owner: Berl E. Priebe) |url=https://www.equibase.com/profiles/allStartsPeople.cfm?eID=779032&rbt=TB&typeSource=O6&year=2013 |website=Equibase |access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref>

==Death== Priebe died in Algona, Iowa, at age 96.<ref name="IALegBio" /><ref name="DMR2014">{{cite news |title=Former state senator Berl Priebe dies at 96 |url=https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/politics/iowa-politics-insider/2014/07/23/berle-priebe-iowa-state-senator-died/13040717/ |work=Des Moines Register |date=July 23, 2014 |access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref> The Iowa Legislature biography lists his death date as July 20, 2014, while his funeral home obituary lists July 21, 2014.<ref name="IALegBio" /><ref name="Lentz2014">{{cite web |title=Berl Priebe obituary |url=https://www.lentzfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Berl-Priebe?obId=28094120 |website=Lentz Funeral Home |access-date=February 27, 2026}}</ref>

==Images==  <gallery mode="packed" heights="180"> File:Baptism04.jpg|Berl Priebe with his wife Madelyn File:Baptism05.jpg|Berl Priebe with Madelyn, daughter Paula, and great-grandson Grant File:Wedding BP.jpg|Priebe at a family wedding File:FamilyBP.jpg|Priebe family photo thumb|Berl and wife Madelyn at a family baptism File:Berl-Priebe.gif|Official state senate portrait  </gallery>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Priebe, Berl}} Category:1918 births Category:2014 deaths Category:People from Kossuth County, Iowa Category:Democratic Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives Category:Democratic Party Iowa state senators Category:Farmers from Iowa Category:20th-century members of the Iowa General Assembly

Berl Priebe

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