Gary Baise was born and raised on his family’s farm in Jacksonville, Illinois. He has combined agricultural, economic, and leadership activities with a strong professional interest in the emerging world of environmental regulatory matters. He graduated from the Western Illinois University and received his law degree from Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law.
Baise worked as the Director of the Office of Legislation at the EPA where he was responsible for its contributions to much of the clean water, noise, and pesticide legislation. During a subsequent two-year period (1973-74), Baise served in the U.S. Department of Justice, as the Associate Deputy Attorney General and as the Acting Deputy Attorney General. Following his service at the EPA and the Justice Department, Baise developed a nationally recognized practice focusing on defending farmers, agribusiness, and other entities who would be subjected to increasing regulatory thrusts.
He serves as general counsel for the U.S. Grains Council (USGC), Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), National Sorghum Producers (NSP), American Soybean Association, and State Ag and Rural Leaders. Gary has over 30 years experience in government and private practice.
Currently, Baise is a principal at Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz PC in Washington, DC where he is the co-head of litigation. There he specializes in Clean Water Act (CWA), Clean Air Act (CAA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA), and Solid Waste Disposal Act (SWDA) litigation as well as agricultural corporate governance issues. He is also a coordinator on the Trump Agricultural and Rural Advisory Committee.
