SWCD OFFICERS - EXTENSION MEET 



Several weeks ago Leslie Criswell, President of 

 ^\S\VCD, Carl Johnson, MAWSCD Education 

 ■ommittee Chairman, Frank Thompson and O. 

 M. Ueland met with Extension Director Torleif 

 Aasheim, Program Leader Don Luebbe, and 

 County Agent Supervisors Bob Rassmussen, Rex 

 Campbell, and Art Jacobs to discuss ways dis- 

 tricts can better use extension and vice versa. 

 It was explained that with the abolishing of the 

 position of Extension Conservationist, those duties 

 were absorbed by the Program Leader for Agri- 

 cultural Production and Conservation Don Luebbe, 

 and the various specialists. However it was point- 

 ed out Don has been on leave for a year, that a 

 Range Management Specialist Karl Parker is on 

 leave, that Don Ryerson was serving only one 

 half time as Range Specialist, that no Irrigation 

 (Water Management) Specialist was now employed, 

 and that these men were very badly needed. These 

 positions were cut down largely as a result of the 

 austerity program of the last legislature. 



On the County Agent level it was brought out that 

 districts are using Agents only as secretaries 

 and very little else. There was some disagree- 

 ment as to initiative County Agents should take 

 as opposed to the initiative displayed by super- 

 visors. Weaknesses were brought out in plan- 

 ning and participation of agents and supervisors 

 n planning. 



The following points were advanced as being 

 items that would benefit: 



1. Planning — Inasmuch as agents are making 

 their plans for the coming year in October , the 

 Conservation parts of these plans could be sub- 

 mitted to the Board of Supervisors for review 

 and approval and adopted as part of the District 

 Work Program. 



2. Conservation Specialists - that districts make 

 their wishes known to proper authorities, legis- 

 lature, and governor in order to provide the nec- 

 essary funds for specialists in range management, 

 water management, soils, agronomy, forestry, 

 weeds, etc. 



3. Provide extension specialists and supervisors 

 with meeting dates and places and extend standing 

 invitation to attend meetings whenever they are in 

 the area. Provide County Agent Supervisors with 

 minutes and reports. 



> 



4. Agents attend meetings, aid in conduct of, 

 give evaluations. 



5. Agents make regular reports to district super- 

 visors of their conservation activities. 



6. Give ideas, observations, recommendations. 



7. Take leadership in carrying out tours, educa- 

 tional efforts, special meetings. 



8. Emphasize management. 



9. Assist with news articles conservation 

 features. 



10. Assist with leadership Workshops. 



To be positive is to be mistaken .it 

 the top of your voice. 



STATE SOIL CONSERVATION COMMITTEE AND 

 STATE ASC COMMITTEE MEET 



Montana's State Soil Conservation Committee had 

 as its guests at its November meeting in Living- 

 ston all the members of the State Agricultural 

 and Stabilization Committee, USDA. The Con- 

 servation programs of Districts and ACP were 

 discussed. Good working relationships were 

 reported in most counties. Areas of further co- 

 ordination were expressed in the need for ASC 

 reporting to or representation at District Meetings 

 and the need for further emphasis of appropriate 

 agreements as supplemental memorandums of 

 understanding could provide, to be given greater 

 attention by each agency. It was agreed to have 

 more exchange of information between the two 

 agencies to include ASC County Committee and 

 District Supervisors on each others mailing list. 



Inasmuch as cost sharing for stubble mulch will 

 not be offered this year, consideration was given 

 to use of these funds for greater emphasis on other 

 Conservation practices. 



The need to get greater control of Nosious and 

 some other weeds was stressed as a growing con- 

 servation problem. Also the need for range man- 

 agement practices, especially prevention of over- 

 grazing. Efforts would be made to encourage use 

 oT some available money to correct these situa- 

 tions. 



ASC Committee members attending were Bob 

 McKenna, Chairman, Wiola Herak, Charlo, 

 Arthur Anderson, Sioux Pass, Lee Schumacher, 

 Malta, and George Johnson, Cut Bank. Also 

 Paul Ringling, Executive Director, and Clarence 

 Bruce of the state office. 



Fred Sanborn, Soil Conservation Committee Chair- 

 man, expressed appreciation to the ASC people for 

 their fine cooperation and the Committee's desires 

 to meet together once every year. 



Other business taken care of was to approve ap- 

 plications and set hearings for change of district 

 boundaries in Yellowstone and Big Horn for Dec- 

 ember 13, and Missoula and Bitterroot for Dec- 

 ember 19. Applications for additions to North 

 Custer were submitted and a hearing set for Dec- 

 ember 11 at Miles City, (continued next page.) 



