Diation 



Ihrig. 15th 

 IS County 



imith, 20tti 

 e County 



Idicott. 25th 

 li County 



RECORD 



inois Agricultural Association 



RECORD 



Volume 14 



March, 1936 



Number 3 



Conservation Bill Enacted 



Expect to Hold Gains in '36 Made Under AAA 



PRELIMINARY plans for putting 

 the new soil conservation program 

 into effect this year may be an- 

 nounced before this issue of the REC- 

 ORD is off the press. 



The new program embodied in 

 amendments to the Soil Conservation 

 Act of 1935 was approved by the Con- 

 ference Committee after passing both 

 houses of Congress Feb. 25. The Sen- 

 ate bill passed that body several weeks 

 ago. The House bill, which was large- 

 ly substituted for the Senate bill, re- 

 ceived an overwhelming favorable vote 

 in the House on February 21. The 

 count was 267 to 97 with 65 not vot- 

 ing. 



Twenty-one out of 25 Illinois con- 

 gressmen voted for the bill. Rep. 

 Brennan, congressman-at-large from 

 Bloomington, and Rep. Buckbee of 

 Rockford, failed to vote. Otherwise the 

 bill was given the solid approval of 

 the downstate delegation. Rep. Ralph 

 Church of Evanston voted against the 

 biU. 



The purpose of the bill is: (1) pres- 

 ervation and improvement of soil fer- 

 tility; (2) promotion of the economic 

 use of land: (3) diminution of exploita- 

 tion and unprofitable use of natural soil 

 resources: (4) provision for and 

 maintenance of a continuous and stable 

 supply of agricultural commodities ade- 

 quate to meet domestic and foreign 

 consumer requirements at prices fair to 

 both producers and consumers: (5) re- 

 establishment and maintenance of 

 farmer's purchasing power. 



The first part of the bill relates to a 

 •temporary plan considered as an emer- 

 gency measure to be in operation only 

 for the years 1936 and 1937. 



The second part has to do with a 

 permanent plan to begin January 1, 

 1938, which will provide for federal 

 grants of money to the states to enable 

 each to carry out a program of soil 

 conservation and balanced production. 

 The states will have from now until 

 January 1, 1938 to work out their own 

 program and pass necessary farm legis- 



MARCH, 1936 ' ' 



lation to be eligible for federal grants. 

 In the meantime a temporary program 

 will operate designed to hold the gains 

 made under the Agricultural Adjust- 

 ment Act. 



If the Secretary of Agriculture deter- 

 mines that the farmer has co-operated 

 and complied with the conditions and 

 requirements of the program, he can 

 make benefit payments in proportion 

 to the acreage of land so used and 

 treated by the co-operating producer. 

 There will be no contract. The land- 

 owner can take it or leave it. 



Under the permanent features cf the 

 bill, the plan adopted by any state must 

 conform to the purposes of the federal 

 act and be approved by the Secretary of 

 Agriculture before the state can secure 

 federal aid. In determining the amount 

 of money to be apportioned to any 

 state, the Secretarj' will take into con- 

 sideration various factors such as 

 acreage and productivity of land de- 

 voted to farm production, acreage and 

 value of major soil depleting and 

 major export crops. 



The exact method or basis for ap- 



THE NATIONAL CAPITOL AT WASHINGTON. INSET SHOWS EARL SMITH TESTIFY- 

 !ng before Senate Agricultural ConKmittee on Soil Conservation Bill. ''~''"i'. 



