r-./: 



1937 Soil Conservation Act 



\/^\^ HE 1937 Agricultural Conserva- 

 ^^"Y^tion Program, although similar 

 \J in many respects to the 1936 

 program, will place greater stress on the 

 importance of growing soil-conserving 

 crops. This is to be brought about by 

 establishing soil-conserving bases as well 

 as soil-depleting bases and by increasing 

 the payments for acreage planted to soil 

 building crops. 



In 1937, a limit on corn acreage will 

 be fixed for farms in areas where corn 

 is a major aop. This limit will be con- 

 sistent with good soil conservation prac- 

 tices. These limits on each individual 

 farm will, however, be small. The pur- 

 pose of these restrictions is to avoid in- 

 creases which might defeat all eflForts to 

 conserve soil fertility. Then too, the 

 limits will prevent surpluses that would 

 likely accumulate with normal yields. 



As in 1936, payments will be divided 

 into two classes: Class I payments or 

 diversion payments, and Class II pay- 

 ments or soil building payments. The 

 rate for diversion from the general soil- 

 depleting base and the maximurn diver- 

 sion for which payment will be made is: 



(a) An average of |6.00 per acre for 

 each acre diverted from the general soil 

 depleting base. The limit on this pay- 

 ment' is 15 per cent of the general soil 

 depleting base. On farms for which a 

 com acreage limit is established this rate 

 will be increased five percent. 



(b) An average of $3.00 per acre for 

 increases above the soil conserving base. 

 The limit on this payment is the acreage 

 diverted from the general soil depleting 

 base. On farms for which a corn acreage 

 limit is established this rate will be in- 

 creased five percent. 



County committees will determine the 

 soil-depleting bases for individual farms. 

 They will equalize the variation among 

 farms in regard to size, number of crop 

 acres, types and productivity of soil, 

 topography, farming practices, and acre- 

 ages of particular crops normally grown. 

 Bases for farms which are similar in these 

 respects will be kept in line and the total 

 bases for all farms in the county will 

 conform to standards established by the 

 Agricultural Adjustment Administration. 



Normal acreages of soil-conserving 

 crops also will be established for farms 

 taking part in the program. These acre- 

 ages will constitute soil-conserving bases 

 and will be used as a yardstick with which 

 to measure increases in these crops. This 

 means that the soil -conserving base for a 

 farm will be the total acreage of crop 

 land, minus the total acreage in the soil- 

 depleting base. 



Two great dangers, the threat of dis- 

 astrous prices and the threat of disastrous 

 weather, face American farmers accord- 

 ing to Secretary of Agriculture Wallace. 

 "Until these risks are moderated we can- 

 not hope for agricultural security in this 

 country." In 1936, farmers proved that 

 they can work together in the fight to 

 check these common enemies. 



Bottom prices originate in bumper 

 crops, restricted export markets, and big 

 carryovers. They reduce the farm in- 

 come, impoverish farm families, shrink 

 farm buying power, and strike telling 

 blows on business all along the line. The 

 triple A conservation program is designed 

 to minimize this danger. 



Crop failure, the o3ier enemy of farm 

 security, can be and is being controlled 

 through the combined efforts of farm 

 people every where. The Conservation 



Act, put into the hands of six million 

 farmers is a weapon with which to fight 

 adverse weather conditions and unwise 

 soil management practices. This phase 

 of the AAA program swung into action 

 last year. Results show that the effects 

 of drouth and erosion can be moderated 

 by man-made devices. 



Most of our crop plants, when given a 

 chance to get their roots into fertile soil 

 which contains a fair supply of moisture, 

 will stand terrific beatings from the sum- 

 mer sun and still pull through to mature 

 a crop. The easiest way to provide plant 

 food and moisture is to save what we 

 have. And to do this we must first stop 

 soil erosion. Terracing, strip cropping, 

 permanent pastures, contour farming, and 

 reforestation all are means to this end. 

 Important too, is the fact that these prac- 

 tices save rainfall. 



NOT SO PRETENTIOUS BUT — 

 It's headquarters for lots of ser- 

 vice to farmers. 



UNION COUNTY SOIL CONSERVATION COMMITTEE 

 Plenty of "Figgerin' " to do these days. 



To Launch Construction Work on 

 Rural Electrification Co-operative 



C\/^— ORK on the Rural Electric 

 ^'^y 1/ Convenience Co-operative line, 

 J J the first in the state, is ex- 

 pected to begin early in 1937. The 

 project includes 232 miles of line in 

 Morgan, Sangamon, Montgomery, Christ- 

 ian, and Macoupin counties. The Farm 

 Bureaus in these counties were active in 

 representing Farm Bureau members and 

 others interested in getting electricity at 

 minimum cost. 



The low bidder for the construction 

 contract for the first unit of 131 miles 

 was Federal Engineering Construction 



Company of Kansas City with a bid of 

 $138,905. The bids were opened De- 

 cember 3 and recommendation was made 

 by the directors of the co-operative to 

 the rural electrification administration. 



The contract calls for the first unit of 

 the project, which, when completed, will 

 include 232 miles of electric lines to-serve 

 739 customers. Electric current will be 

 bought- wholesale from the Springfield 

 Municipal Plant. Reports state that the 

 rate quoted by the city is the lowest 

 wholesale rate for any similar project in 

 the United States. 



(Continued on page 12) 



I. A. A. RECORD 



