About Gerda Verburg
Gerritje "Gerda" Verburg (born 19 August 1957) is a Dutch politician, diplomat of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party and trade union leader. From 2011 until 2016, Verburg served as Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations organizations for Food and Agriculture in Rome (FAO, IFAD and WFP) succeeding former CDA politician Agnes van Ardenne. As a member of the Christian Democratic Appeal (Christen-Democratisch Appèl), she was an MP from 1998 to 2007 and again from 2010 to 2011. She also served as Minister of Agriculture in the fourth Balkenende cabinet from 2007 to 2010. As an MP, she focused on matters of social affairs, the European Union and energy and innovation policy. From 22 February 2007 until 14 October 2010 Verburg was Minister of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality in the Cabinet Balkenende IV, and the first openly lesbian Minister of Christian Democratic signature in a Dutch Cabinet.
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