333.7:2 







3 0864 1004 5873 9 



measure 



C 



SJMLDOCyMEf 



MAY 1; 1974 



c re s 



0. M. Ueland. Editor, 



32 South Ewlng , Helena, Montana 



OFFICIAL NE-WS BULLETIN 



Mar-April, 1974 

 Vol. XXVI, No. 2 



PREZ SEZ - Charles E. Lane, Jr. - The time is here 

 when MACD must take the action directed by your 

 officers and directors if we are going to continue 

 to be the responsible organization that we think 

 v;e are. 



With the flood of bills coming into the 

 legislature each session which require new regu- 

 lations that affect many of us, the Association 

 needs someone in Helena watching out for our 

 interests. It is impossible for your directors 

 and officers to spend the time that is necessary 

 to ride herd on the growing bureaucracy. They are 

 just supervisors and have a farm or ranch to run 

 as you do. This last session in Helena brought 

 this point home to all those involved. 

 . We have good rapport now but we need the 



continuity of personnel to represent us during the interim as well as the 

 session. If the Association doesn't move forward now, districts as we 

 know them will not be around in the near future. We are going to be 

 fighting for the life of districts and local control. We will have to 

 accept more responsibility to keep local control but the alternative is 

 much worse. 



The assessment voted by the directors is due on July 1, 19 74. 



COMMITTEE REPORTS 



Research Committee - Tom Wharram - HR 755, the Saline Seep Bill was 

 vetoed by the Governor, March 29th but the legislature has appropriated 

 to the Department of State Lands funds of $265,000 for the establishment 

 of a saline-alkali control and prevention program. There will be a 

 saline-alkali control advisory council charged with responsibility of 

 working with saline seep to develop a program. 



public Relations - Bill Sibra - Public relations has been too often 

 used to create an image to cover up what is actually being done. I urge 

 all districts to show their true colors by conducting tours of their 

 district. Let's start by taking the ministers and their wives on a 

 Soil Stewardship Tour. Follow this with a tour for farmers and ranchers 

 showing what your range resource program has accomplished. 



"Carry out these tours - Just planning them does not do the job!" 



Education Committee - Milo Hilstad - Teacher Training - Districts 

 ™^^^J to sponsor a teacher in Conservation Education. MACD especially 

 Snn?^rS^ attendance at an Environmental Science Seminar being held at 



teScheJs !a?l ar.T'/""J ''"^"'^ ''.' ''''• ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ primarily for 

 ceacners (all grades) and community leaders who want to learn more about 

 our environment. Several agencies including Soil Conservation Service, 

 iJn^n^. o^i^^' ^"d Conservation Districts will have input into various 

 nKrqL^ter'L^Sits?"' ^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^ ^-^^ ^-P- ^^e course carries 



of Natufa!^^!or ^°"^^^^^# - J°l^" Vanisko - SJR 52 states the Department 

 Of Natural Resources and Conservation and Resource Advisory Council will 

 ISei^lJ Sl^niL^°'' ""^^ ''V'' legislature concerning sediment control, 

 ^f^r^ ^ planned is a working committee to assimilate a situation state- 

 a rLuL?%^^ Jv.^'^^"'^'^^^ '^° ^^^ P^^''= ^^'^ pertinent organizations aSd 

 InS ?^^?«iS^ t^- Participation in developing a sediment control program 

 and legislation which will meet EPA requirements. 



