John R. Block
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (May 2016) |
John R. Block | |
---|---|
Richard E. Lyng | |
Illinois Director of Agriculture | |
In office February 3, 1977 – January 22, 1981 | |
Governor | James R. Thompson |
Preceded by | Pud Williams |
Succeeded by | Larry Werries |
Personal details | |
Born | U.S. Military Academy | February 15, 1935
Military service | |
Branch/service | United States Army |
Unit | 101st Airborne |
John Rusling Block (born February 15, 1935) is a former
Early life
Block was born in Galesburg, Illinois, on February 15, 1935. Of German descent, Block was the son of Julius Judd Block and Madeline (née Maddy) Block. He came from a strongly rural background where the home had no electricity. He graduated from West Point in 1957 and served in 101st Airborne. After that, he became successful in agribusiness.
Government services
Block was a
Block was a Secretary of Agriculture, when more farmers lost their farms than at any time since the Great Depression of the 1930s.[
In June 1981, Secretary Block invited agricultural and educational leaders willing to work cooperatively toward the common goal of educating the public about the role of agriculture to a workshop in Washington, DC. The resulting task force recommended that the U.S. Department of Agriculture help coordinate local and state Agriculture in the Classroom efforts. The Declaration of Principle was announced by Secretary of Agriculture John Block with a fanfare on Ag Day, March 21, 1983. The Declaration of Principle spelled out the purpose of the Agriculture in the Classroom program and featured the signatures of all seven living former Secretaries of Agriculture. There are now Agriculture in the Classroom programs in every state and many U.S. Territories. Canada, with assistance from USDA, developed an Agriculture in the Classroom program in every Province as well as a national organization. Countries around the world are interested in Agriculture in the Classroom because they have experienced the same needs in agricultural education.
Post-government career
Since then he has been an executive at John Deere and is President of Food Distributors International. In 1992, he won the Horatio Alger Award. He has been the 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 has also served on the Board of Directors of Friends of the World Food Program (currently known as World Food Program USA), a non-profit dedicated to supporting the UN World Food Program and its efforts to end global hunger. He is a Senior Policy Adviser at
Private life
He married Susan Rathje "Sue" Block, a cousin of famed Chicago banker Frank C. Rathje. He and Susan had one son and two daughters: Hans, Cynthia and Christine. He was a very large farmer outside of Knoxville, Illinois and his children attended public school in Knoxville, Illinois. He has a daughter, Savannah, with his second wife and they live in Dunn Loring, Virginia.
External links
- John Block profile from a site on Presidents
- Essays on John Block from 1977
- Block's Resignation letter to Reagan Archived 2015-09-10 at the Wayback Machine
- Horatio Alger Award site
- John Block Reports Archived radio commentary from John Block's weekly radio spot about agriculture and government
- Appearances on C-SPAN