Mr. Matz specializes in food, nutrition and agriculture. He has devoted his career to representing clients that are increasing food production and improving human nutrition in the United States and around the world. After working with South Dakota Legal Services helping to provide representation to Native Americans, Mr. Matz spent seven years on Capitol Hill as Counsel to the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and the Select Committee on Nutrition.
Mr. Matz entered practice in 1980 and has been with OFW Law since 1992. In addition to his law practice, Mr. Matz serves on the Board of Directors of the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), the World Food Program—USA (which he co-founded), the Congressional Hunger Center and the Global Child Nutrition Foundation. Mr. Matz also served as Chairman of the Agriculture Committee of the Obama for America presidential campaign.
Mr. Matz was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and received his B.A. from the University of Connecticut in 1968. He received his J.D. from the University of Louisville in 1971. He was admitted to the Connecticut Bar in 1971, South Dakota Federal and Tribal Courts in 1972, and the District of Columbia Bar in 1979. He is currently a member of the District of Columbia Bar as well as the Connecticut and American Bar Associations.
Special Agencies:
- All USDA agencies
- Bureau of Indian Affairs
- State Department
- U.S. Agency for International Development
- White House Office Agencies
Selected Court Admissions:
- South Dakota Federal Court
- Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals
- South Dakota Tribal Courts
Published Works:
- School Nutrition Update, Agri-Pulse
- Talking Agriculture to Democrats, Agri-Pulse
- Sequestration: What Does It Mean For Agriculture? , Agri-Pulse – September 1, 2012
- Choice comes to the SNAP Program, Agri-Pulse - August 1, 2012
- Right On, Abe!, Agri-Pulse - July 1, 2012
- The Politics of Science, Agri-Pulse – June 1, 2012
- Ag Grads: A Call to Action, Agri-Pulse – May 7, 2012
- USDA’s 150th Birthday: A Teachable Moment, Agri-Pulse -- April 2, 2012
- AFRICAN UPDATE: Tanzania and the new “Green” Biotechnologies, Agri-Pulse -- February 28, 2012
- Ambassador Cousin: An important choice for the World Food Program – Agri Pulse -- January 31, 2012
- 'Agricultural Diplomacy' is Cultivating a Following - Chicago Tribune -- November 20, 2011
- Battle of the Bulge, Agri-Pulse – October 3, 2011
- Clinton adds voice to Agriculture debate, Agri-Pulse – August 31, 2011
- Agriculture Research Provides a Strong Rate of Return, Agri-Pulse – August 2, 2011
- The Importance of MyPlate, Agri-Pulse – July, 2011
- First Americans Deserve a Better Shake, Argus Leader – July 2, 2011
- Michael Pollan: In Perspective, Agri-Pulse – May 31, 2011
- Agriculture essential for lifting people out of poverty , Des Moines Register
- A New Day Dawning in Africa, Agri-Pulse – January, 2010
- Op-Ed: School feeding is not just for kids , Agri-Pulse Communications, Inc.
- Time to meet challenge of ending hunger , Op-Ed, The Sacramento Bee, November 26, 2009
- Is the Ag Community to blame for Michael Pollan's success? , Op-Ed, Agri-Pulse, October 19, 2009
- In defense of agriculture and science , Op-Ed, Cedar Rapids Gazette, October 11, 2009
- Agriculture's next big challenge , Op-Ed, Chicago Tribune, January 4, 2009
- Relief programs hard at work , Op-Ed, Miami Herald, December 1, 2008
- Fight hunger as moral, practical thing to do , Op-Ed, Des Moines Register, May 27, 2008
- Eliminating hunger is today's moral imperative , Op-Ed, Des Moines Register, October 27, 2006
- Prescription for AIDS zone: food plus medicine , Op-Ed, The Indianapolis Star, October 23, 2005
- Remedies for AIDS in Africa , Op-Ed, Washington Times, December 1, 2005.
