RCA: No federalism is new federalism

Excerpt

IN early July, with the farm economy staggering like punch-drunk prize fighter toward an autumn grain I market that in depth may rival the Marianas Trench, Secretary of Agricdture John Block was in need of some good public relations. “He needs a bright spot,” observed Neil Sampson, executive vice-president of the National Association of Conservation Districts. A new and, it was hoped, popular soil and water conservation program could provide just the political boost Block wanted.

Fumbles and embarrassments on the conservation front in preceding months-the unfavorable reaction to the coordinating boards' idea in the preferred program, a miserly budget juxtaposed on avowels of a resource “crisis,” an ill-conceived attempt to prevent the press from seeing early public responses to RCA, and the fireworks caused by Norm Berg's ouster' as chief of the Soil Conservation Service and replacement by Peter Myers-made it all the more imperative that Block enjoy a victory on his final RCA proposal. The pressure was on to enable Block to announce the program at the Midwestern Governor's Conference in …