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OVERALL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING 



By O. M, Ueland 



What is Economic Development Planning? 



Economic development planning is the programing, designing, plotting, 

 or outlining means by which the resources of the community or county can be 

 better utilized to provide for our wants and desires, to the greatest degree poss- 

 ible, now and for the future. In other words it is the promoting oi added industry 

 to provide employment and a broader tax base. 



Why should we be concerned? 



We as citizens should be concerned because we do live in a changing world 

 with an ever growing population. We are very dependent upon each other for our 

 livelihood. How wellwe plan can mean our having a job or not having a job. It can 

 mean providing for our children so they can have lobs and a good life. We have 

 these problems for which we must plan some solution and then carry it out. 



Who is responsible ? 



O First we are morally and individually responsible to provide for ourselves 



w and our dependents within our capabilities and respecting the rights of others. Second 



(i as citizens we are responsible for making our community, county, state, and nation, 



a better place in which to live and prosper. We can organize citizen groups and set 

 up government agencies at all levels to get the Job done. 

 ►J 



^ Prominent among Montana groups and agencies in promoting economic 



<; development are Planning Boards, the Chambers of Commerce, Rural Area Develop- 



ment Committees, SWCD Supervisors, Service Clubs, Farm Organizations, Exten- 

 sion Service, Conservation Agencies, and many others. 



Q What is the economic situation in Montana? 



Primarily Montana is a raw materials state in competition with like mater- 

 rj. ials being produced elsewhere in the U.S. and the world. The products we produce 



r, in the way of livestock, grain, lumber, metals, oil, largely go out of state for 



r] processing and manufacture into end products. Also our most important resource, 



^ people, which we also produce go out of state but not until we have invested some 



o dollars in them in the way of education, etc. This is where the rub comes. As much 



1-1 ~ ~ 1--l_^ i !-• - -I • 1 1 r- . . — 



rj We need to expand out tax base, to make it easier to educate our ^--^-_, 



build roads, do conservation work, provide for our national defense, and the many 

 other needed services. Additional properly planned for industry is needed. 



as we may like to live in the wide open spaces and away from people, we cannot afford 

 it, so long as we produce people who can^t find jobs. 



How do SWCD Supervisors contribute to Economic Planning' 



^ Soil and Water Conservation District supervisors contribute greatly to 



Economic Development Planning, Their programs are plans which identify the soil 

 and water conservation problems besetting the people, determine the best solution 



„ of those problems, and devise some means for assisting the landowners in correcting 



the problems. 



t:^ For instance some ranchers and resource people say that with intensive 



Q range management the income from livestock in Montana could be doubled. Growing 



cQ grass to conserve soil and water, to prevent weeds, to grow more grass, to grow 



more pounds of livestock will bring about this kind of acfled income. 



2 SWCD supervisors and others vnth planning responsibilities need to know 



3- how their planmng fits into the overall picture to develop an Overall Economic 



H Development Plan. All districts in Montana have conservation Plans which are being 



carried out and which merit the attention and support of all, and inclusion in any OEDE. 



The outline on the opposite page shows roughly what an OEDP should cover. 



WEEDS 



lyiost all districts list noxious weeds as a serious problem. Following are suggestions for an approach or 

 follow up on this matter: 



1. Include in annual work plan with action toward obtaining educational technical, and 

 financial assistance. 



2. Cooperate with and encourage weed control districts to function. 



3. Encourage formation of a weed control district if one does not exist. 



4. Assume functions as possible of weed district if one cannot be organized, to seek county 

 funds to do control work plan, to assist in a detailed survey of where noxious weeds are 

 and plot their location and acreage on a map, and reactions of farmers and ranchers about 

 weeds. 



5. Seek cost share from ASC-ACP for control. 



6. Ask public land agencies to control their weeds, plan together, this includes railroads and 

 highways . 



7. Consider legislation necessary to get control of weeds coming in from neighboring counties, 

 ask adjoining counties to cooperate. 



8. Urge inclusion of a weed control or weed prevention statement in cooper ators farm or ranch 

 plan. 



