Wickard, Claude R. (Claude Raymond), 1893-1967

Claude Raymond Wickard (1893-1967) his family''s farm in Carroll County, Indiana. In 1915 he began his long career as an agriculturist upon graduation from Purdue University with a B.S. degree in Animal Husbandry. With the completion of these studies, Wickard took over the management of the family farm. He distinguished himself by initiating improved farming methods and feeding policies thus winning numerous medals and awards, which let to his selection as a Master Farmer of Indiana in 1927. Before his appointment to the Agricultural Adjustment Administration in 1933, Wickard was active in a number of farm organizations and served one term (1932-1933) in the Indiana legislature as State Senator from the largely agricultural counties of Carrol, White and Clinton. In Washington, Wickard began work as an assistant chief of the A.A.A. (Agricultural Adjustment Act) corn-hog section and in 1935, he was made chief. When the AAA inaugurated its agricultural conservation program in 1936, Wickard was named assistant director of the North Central Division and in a short time was made director. Wickard''s advancement through the Department of Agriculture coincided with the return of better times to the nation''s farmers. In February 1940, he was appointed Under-Secretary of Agriculture, and six months later President Franklin D. Roosevelt named him to the cabinet as Secretary of Agriculture. As wartime Secretary, Wickard developed and administered programs, which enabled the American farmer to produce enough food to feed the country, its armed forces and most of its allies. After serving as Secretary of Agriculture for three months in the cabinet of President Harry S. Truman, Wickard resigned in July 1945 to become administrator of the Rural Electrification (REA) Administration. During his tenure, REA made great strides in the production of electricity, which substantially lightened the workload of the farmer and brought modern living to rural America. Claude Wickard resigned from the REA in March 1953 and soon after returned to active farming on Fairacre Farms near Camden, Indiana. He continued to serve as Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Agriculture for the Democratic National Committee, as a trustee of Purdue University and one of the directors of Meridian Mutual Insurance Company. Wickard was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Agriculture by Purdue in 1941 and received several other honorary degrees from various institutions of higher learning. In 1956, he ran for United States Senator from Indiana on the Democratic ticket but was unable to defeat the incumbent Homer E. Capehart.

From the description of Wickard, Claude R. (Claude Raymond), 1893-1967 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10679501

Agriculturist and government official.

From the description of Papers, [ca. 1903]-1967. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 155525240

Agriculturist, government executive.

From the description of Reminiscences of Claude Raymond Wickard : oral history, 1953. (Columbia University In the City of New York). WorldCat record id: 309727743