Turning Point Near, Block Tells Farmers
Secretary of Agriculture John R. Block told the nation’s wheat farmers Monday that the “building blocks” are in place for an economic rebound from the worst farm crisis since the Great Depression.
Block, who has announced that he will step down from the $86,200-a-year Cabinet post next month, said that 1986 will be another tough year for agriculture, but he added that steps were taken in 1985 to reverse the farm crisis.
“I believe we’re turning the corner. I believe we’ve bottomed out,” Block said.
Block, addressing the annual convention of the National Assn. of Wheat Growers, praised the 1985 farm bill as a vehicle for a “gentle” transition from dependence on federal price supports, which he said helps consumers more than farmers by encouraging production and keeping prices down.
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