David Herschel Newsom

Background

Herschel David Newsom was born on May 1, 1905 in Columbus, Indiana, United States. He was the son of Jesse R. Newsom and Nellie Davis, both Quaker farmers.

Education

After attending Columbus High School, Newsom entered Indiana University in 1921, graduating in 1925.

Career

Newsom continued farming in the Columbus area. A member of the Indiana Grange, he promoted scientific farming and soil conservation during a period of declining farm prices. As the economic problems of farmers worsened with the onset of the Great Depression in 1929, Newsom became a spokesman for more-effective government aid programs. In 1937 he was elected master of the Indiana Grange and later served on its executive board, consistently calling for policies to increase farm income. In 1950 his ability as a spokesman led to his being elected master of the National Grange. Operating from the organization's office in Washington, D. C. , Newsom became even more effective in lobbying for agricultural causes, earning the respect, if not always the support, of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson.

In 1964, Newsom supported the payment of $600 million in support to wheat and cotton farmers.

Newsom also favored using surplus American food in foreign aid in a fashion analogous to the Food for Peace program. This use would, he felt, reduce the surpluses of wheat, corn, and sorghum. Newsom joined with Secretary of Agriculture Orville Freeman to work out the 1965 Food and Agriculture Act, with its production controls, high levels of price supports, pesticide labeling, and government payments to producers.

In October 1968, President Johnson appointed Newsom to the Tariff Commission. Newsom expressed his hope that in this position he could affect trade policies that had a direct impact on farm prices and income.

He died in Washington, D. C.

Achievements

• Newsom was particularly effective during the Johnson administration, which often consulted the National Grange in formulating policy. In 1967, Newsom lobbied Congress to advance additional foreign aid to India, to meet the critical food shortage caused by the 1966 drought. This aid was to amount to 1. 8 million tons of grain. In 1967, Newsom voiced strong disagreement with the plan to eliminate the school milk program, which made milk available to all school children at reduced prices. Congress agreed with his views and retained the program.

Views

Newsom advocated American agricultural involvement in foreign trade and argued that foreign sales of American commodities could help make up for the low farm income caused by a domestic "cheap food" policy.

Newsom always favored reducing surplus food stockpiles to improve farm prices and advocated strong price supports for farmers.

Connections

On October 26, 1929 he married Blanche Hill, whom he had met in college; they had two children.

Father:

Jesse R. Newsom

Mother:

Nellie Davis

Spouse:

Blanche Hill