US Presidential Cabinet Member. Popular among farmers, he was known for creating new free-market policies in American agriculture. He took his first federal post, as assistant agriculture secretary under President Dwight Eisenhower, serving 1954 to 1957. In 1971, President Richard Nixon appointed him the 18th US Secretary of Agriculture, serving under Nixon and President Ford until 1976. During his five years in Washington, net farm income more than doubled, farm exports tripled and 60 million acres of land in the United States held out of production by the government was released. In 1972, he went to the Soviet Union and reached an agreement to increase farm exports to the Soviets, opening new International trades for US famers. After he resigned in 1976, he served as dean of Purdue University College of Agriculture, Indiana until 1987. At his death, Butz was the oldest living former Cabinet member from any administration.
US Presidential Cabinet Member. Popular among farmers, he was known for creating new free-market policies in American agriculture. He took his first federal post, as assistant agriculture secretary under President Dwight Eisenhower, serving 1954 to 1957. In 1971, President Richard Nixon appointed him the 18th US Secretary of Agriculture, serving under Nixon and President Ford until 1976. During his five years in Washington, net farm income more than doubled, farm exports tripled and 60 million acres of land in the United States held out of production by the government was released. In 1972, he went to the Soviet Union and reached an agreement to increase farm exports to the Soviets, opening new International trades for US famers. After he resigned in 1976, he served as dean of Purdue University College of Agriculture, Indiana until 1987. At his death, Butz was the oldest living former Cabinet member from any administration.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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