▁February ▁ 1 5 , ▁ 1 9 3 5 . ▁Of ▁German ▁descent , ▁Block ▁was ▁the ▁son ▁of ▁Julius ▁Jud d ▁Block ▁and ▁Mad eline ▁( née ▁M addy ) ▁Block . ▁ ▁He ▁came ▁from ▁a ▁strongly ▁rural ▁background ▁where ▁the ▁home ▁had ▁no ▁electric ity . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁West ▁Point ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁ 1 0 1 st ▁Air bor ne . ▁ ▁After ▁that , ▁he ▁became ▁successful ▁in ▁ag rib us iness . ▁ ▁Government ▁services ▁ ▁Block ▁was ▁a ▁Republican ▁whose ▁agricult ure ▁success es ▁formed ▁the ▁basis ▁for ▁his ▁position ▁as ▁the ▁Illinois ▁Director ▁of ▁Agricult ure . ▁ ▁This ▁led ▁to ▁him ▁becoming ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Agricult ure ▁in ▁President ▁Ron ald ▁Re agan ' s ▁administration . ▁He ▁was ▁involved ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 8 5 ▁Farm ▁Bill ▁Act . ▁ ▁Block ▁was ▁an ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Agricult ure , ▁when ▁more ▁far mers ▁lost ▁their ▁far ms ▁than ▁at ▁any ▁time ▁since ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁ ▁During ▁his ▁term ▁as ▁Secretary , ▁a ▁Federal ▁court ▁judge ▁ruled ▁in ▁a ▁due ▁process ▁decision , ▁Cole man ▁vs . ▁Block , ▁ 6 6 3 ▁F Supp ▁ 1 3 1 5 , ▁ 1 3 3 2 ▁( D . N . D . ▁ 1 9 8 7 ), ▁that ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Department ▁of ▁Agricult ure ▁(" US DA ") ▁and ▁Farm