Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture to visit SIUC
Rachel Lindsay
Daily Egyptian
rlindsay@dailyegyptian.com
More than 600 radio stations broadcast the agricultural commentary of John Block each week. This Wednesday, SIUC students and the Carbondale public will have a chance to listen to him live.
Block, former U.S. secretary of agriculture, will talk about current agricultural issues as part of the Gil and Jean Kroening Lecture Series. The Public Policy Institute address is set for 7:30 p.m. April 7 at the SIU School of Law Auditorium.
Mike Lawrence, interim director of the PPI, said while he does not know what Block would be speaking on, world hunger and food safety should be on the agenda.
"He is someone who knows a great deal about agriculture," Lawrence said. "I expect he's going to give us excellent insights into some of the key issues facing agriculture and society today."
Block graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., and served four years as Illinois' agricultural department director under former Gov. Jim Thompson. He then moved on to be the federal agricultural secretary for five years in the Ronald Reagan administration.
While under Reagan, Block spearheaded the Food for Peace Program, which helped feed starving people in Africa. He also helped establish the Conservation Reserve Program, which removes erodible land from agricultural areas. These and other efforts won him the Horatio Alger Award for Public Service in 1992.
Block is currently the executive vice president of the Food Marketing Institute based in Washington D.C. The company represents a number of worldwide marketers and wholesalers and is highly influential at the federal level, according to Lawrence.
In addition to his other duties, Block also maintains an investment in the family farming partnership he began with his father. His son now manages the hog-farming business.
Lawrence said Block's experience with both the family farm and policy aspects of agriculture give him a well-rounded view of the challenges of today's food business.
"He could not be as successful as he has been if he did not have a lot of knowledge about operations of all sizes," Lawrence said.
Matthew Baughman, director of development for the PPI, said Block comes on invitation from the late Sen. Paul Simon to speak at the agricultural-based lectures.
"When you look at those people that are experts in agriculture, John Block is obviously right there at the top of the field," Baughman said.
According to Baughman, Block's agricultural qualifications and ties to Illinois made him the logical candidate for the lecture.
An open question-and-answer session will follow the lecture.
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Daily Egyptian Spring 04 
