1986 - The Exon Library

company, and later as president of the American Meat
Institute and on the boards of various other
agriculture-related businesses. He was appointed Director
of the California State Department of Agriculture under
Governor Reagan, and then served as Assistant Secretary of
Marketing and Consumer Services for the U.S. Department of
Agriculture under President Nixon. During President
Reagan's first term, he served as Deputy Secretary of
Agriculture. Presently, he works for Lyng and Lesher, an
agricultural consulting business. Many felt that his
longstanding relationship with President Reagan would be an
asset in representing the farmers to the White House.
Opponents questioned Mr. Lyng's ability to understand and
respond to the agricultural problems of the midwest because
of his recent lobbying activities aimed at reducing dairy
price supports and his consistent opposition to the Milk
Diversion Program--actions which could undermine an already
poor dairy farm economy.