John Rusling Block
Encyclopedia
John Rusling Block was Secretary of Agriculture under former President Ronald Reagan
and is currently a lobbyist.
in 1957 and served in 101st Airborne
. After that he ran a successful agribusiness.
whose agriculture successes formed the basis for his position as Illinois Director of Agriculture. This led to him becoming the Secretary of Agriculture under Ronald Reagan
from 1981-1986. This led to his involvement in the 1985 Farm Bill
.
Block was Secretary of Agriculture when more farmers lost their farms than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s. During his term as Secretary, a Federal court judge ruled in a due process
decision, Coleman vs. Block, 663 FSupp 1315, 1332 (D.N.D. 1987), that the Department of Agriculture ("USDA") and Farmers Home Administration
("FmHA") were not giving farmers enough notice of alternative debt restructuring options. The Court ordered the USDA and FmHA to amend the forms issued to farmers. The decision eventually led to restructuring and reorganization of many farm debts. During the U.S. government's appeal of the decision, Congress passed the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987
, Pub. L. No. 100-233, 101 Stat. 1568 (1988). Title VI of the Act made extensive changes in the statutory provisions which had formed the background for the Coleman litigation, the changes being designed to carry out the intent of the Coleman decisions.
and is President of Food Distributors International. In 1992 he won the Horatio Alger Award. He has been active in global food programs as well. In 2004 he joined the Board of Directors of "Digital Angel" which is more of an Internet company. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Friends of the World Food Program, a non-profit dedicated to supporting the UN World Food Program and its efforts to end global hunger. He currently is a Senior Policy Adviser at Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz
, a Washington law and lobbying firm that specializes in representing interests before the USDA and related federal agencies.
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
and is currently a lobbyist.
Early life
He came from a strongly rural background where the home had no electricity. He graduated from West PointUnited States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
in 1957 and served in 101st Airborne
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
. After that he ran a successful agribusiness.
Government service
He is a RepublicanRepublican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
whose agriculture successes formed the basis for his position as Illinois Director of Agriculture. This led to him becoming the Secretary of Agriculture under Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
from 1981-1986. This led to his involvement in the 1985 Farm Bill
Food Security Act of 1985
The Food Security Act of 1985 , a 5-year omnibus farm bill, allowed lower commodity price and income supports and established a dairy herd buyout program. This 1985 farm bill made changes in a variety of other USDA programs...
.
Block was Secretary of Agriculture when more farmers lost their farms than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s. During his term as Secretary, a Federal court judge ruled in a due process
Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was adopted on July 9, 1868, as one of the Reconstruction Amendments.Its Citizenship Clause provides a broad definition of citizenship that overruled the Dred Scott v...
decision, Coleman vs. Block, 663 FSupp 1315, 1332 (D.N.D. 1987), that the Department of Agriculture ("USDA") and Farmers Home Administration
Farmers Home Administration
In 1946 Farmers Home Administration replaced the Farm Security Administration which superseded the Resettlement Administration. Its mission and programs involved extending credit for agriculture and rural development. Direct and guaranteed credit went to individual farmers, low-income families,...
("FmHA") were not giving farmers enough notice of alternative debt restructuring options. The Court ordered the USDA and FmHA to amend the forms issued to farmers. The decision eventually led to restructuring and reorganization of many farm debts. During the U.S. government's appeal of the decision, Congress passed the Agricultural Credit Act of 1987
Agricultural Credit Act of 1987
The Agricultural Credit Act of 1987 was enacted in response to the severe financial crisis of the early- to mid-1980s, which affected both farmers and their lending institutions...
, Pub. L. No. 100-233, 101 Stat. 1568 (1988). Title VI of the Act made extensive changes in the statutory provisions which had formed the background for the Coleman litigation, the changes being designed to carry out the intent of the Coleman decisions.
Post-government career
Since then he has been an executive at John DeereJohn Deere
John Deere was an American blacksmith and manufacturer who founded Deere & Company, one of the largest and leading agricultural and construction equipment manufacturers in the world...
and is President of Food Distributors International. In 1992 he won the Horatio Alger Award. He has been active in global food programs as well. In 2004 he joined the Board of Directors of "Digital Angel" which is more of an Internet company. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Friends of the World Food Program, a non-profit dedicated to supporting the UN World Food Program and its efforts to end global hunger. He currently is a Senior Policy Adviser at Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Bode Matz
Olsson Frank Weeda
Olsson Frank Weeda Terman Matz PC is an American law firm and lobbying firm based in Washington, D.C., that specializes in representing business interests in the food, drug, medical device, and agriculture industries in their dealings with the Food and Drug Administration or United States...
, a Washington law and lobbying firm that specializes in representing interests before the USDA and related federal agencies.
Private life
Now living in Washington D.C., Block has a wife named Alexandra and a daughter named Savannah. John Block has three children from a previous marriage to Sue Block; named Hans, Cynthia, and Christine.External links
- John Block profile from a site on Presidents
- Essays on John Block from 1977
- Block's Resignation letter to Reagan
- Horatio Alger Award site
- Essay by him
- Friends of the World Food Program United States agency helping raise funds and awareness about global hunger
- John Block Reports Archived radio commentary from John Block's weekly radio spot about agriculture and government